


Lovestruck

by VixenQuin



Category: Glee
Genre: Anderberry, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-01-30
Updated: 2013-02-28
Packaged: 2017-10-30 09:02:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 57,404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/330058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VixenQuin/pseuds/VixenQuin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>'Lovestruck: Like struck with a lightening bolt. The second that you see and meet the person, you are instantly in love. Head over heels, can't stop thinking about them, want to be with them, hold them hug them, and be held and hugged and loved by them in return.'<br/>Kurt visits Rachel's house for the first time and meets her twin brother. Her very attractive, gay, twin brother. Anderberry/Klaine AU</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I fell in love with the Anderberry universe and started to write this story about a month ago. I felt it was time to type the first chapter out (I have it all written out in a notebook) and post it. This is my very first Gleefic (I've been writing fanfiction for some years now but in another fandom) and it's been a while since I've written anything in English. Initially, this is supposed to be a short story (maybe not even past ten chapters0 but my mind keeps on adding new ideas every day that I definitely want to include so I'll see where it turns out. I hope you'll enjoy it.

 

_'Lovestruck. Like struck with a lightening bolt. The second that you see and meet the person, you are instantly in love. Head over heels, can't stop thinking about them, want to be with them, hold them hug them, and be held and hugged and loved by them in return.'_

 

 

"You have a stage in your basement!"

 

Kurt Hummel gasped as he entered the basement of the house of his friend Rachel. It was his very first visit to the Berry-Anderson residence. The modern feeling of the house had left him in astonishment but everything faded away compared to the basement, which resembled a lounge found in big cities

 

"I have a very musical family," Rachel declared with a satisfied grin. "My fathers are big Broadway lovers like the two of us. We all like to give impromptu performances for our neighbours at times.”

 

The both of them smiled. They used to be very competitive rivals in their Glee club, fighting over every single solo. But after a year of squabbling, they finally bonded over their mutual love for Broadway, musicals, classic movies and diva idols. They also had a shared dream of becoming Broadway legends.

 

"Wow," a voice behind them breathed. They both turned to find their friend, Mercedes Jones, decent the stairs. She and Kurt were invited for their first ever girl-and-Kurt sleepover at the Berry-Anderson's. "You have an amazing house. And this basement..."

 

Rachel did not get a chance to properly thank Mercedes for her compliments as Kurt's rather high pitched voice rang through the room.

 

"Oh my God, you have a karaoke set! We're so singing later on!"

 

Rachel had slipped next to him and took the West Side Story songbook Kurt was holding in his hands.

 

"This is my brother's favourite. He's a perfect Tony. Personally, I feel that I was born to portray Maria but for very obvious reasons, we could never play those parts at the same time. I have no problem breaking certain boundaries to further my already blooming career, but this is one boundary too far."

She half expected her friends to nod fiercely in agreement to her just made statement about her career and Maria, but all she received were two pairs of raised eyebrows.

 

"What?"

 

"You have a brother?" Kurt and Mercedes said in perfect unison.

 

"Uhm...yeah. Blaine. He's my twin."

 

"YOU HAVE A TWIN!"

 

Rachel scurried away into a corner as her friends literally pounced on her with questions.

 

"Do we know him?"

"Have we ever seen him?"

"Why did you never mention him before?"

"Does he go to our school?"

"I can't believe you have a brother!"

 

-oOo-

 

Rachel quickly came over the initial shock caused by the amount of questions, she giggled and ushered her friends upstairs, where they all retreated to the kitchen for a cup of hot cacao.

 

"Okay, speak up lady," Mercedes said impatiently. Rachel giggled again.

 

"Well, about Blaine. As I said, he's my twin. No, you don't know him because he doesn't go to McKinley. He goes to an all-boy private school in Westerville named Dalton Academy. He leads their glee club, the Warblers. He's a very talented singer just like me, it runs in the family. He also plays tons of instruments and is in his school's soccer team. I guess I never mentioned him because...well...he's the only friend I had before you guys but I barely see him – only on weekends. I miss him enough as it is and talking about him makes it worse...and you and I haven’t been friends that long so he just hasn't come up."

 

"Okay, why do you go to a public school while your twin gets to go to an expensive private school where they most likely don't have slushie facials?" Kurt asked confused.

 

"One of my dads got heavily bullied in high school because of his sexuality," Rachel sighed. "His parents send him to Dalton Academy because they have a zero tolerance harassment policy. Blaine got heavily bullied in our last year in middle school when someone he thought was his friend outed him. He'd come home daily with fresh bruises and torn clothes."

She chocked up a little at the memories of the bruises and scars on her twin; at the memories of him crying as she held him and feeling powerless to do anything. Her friends noticed and while Mercedes patted her back, Kurt held her hand.

 

"So the summer between middle school and high school we moved here, you know that. My dad was hesitant to send Blaine to a public school again and Blaine was quite scared as well. And since Dalton isn't so far from here, they decided to send him there. They did offer me to transfer to Crawford Country Day, Dalton’s sister school, after the first few times I got slushied. But they don’t have a Glee club or a theatre department and singing and music is what keeps me going at school, so I stayed at Mckinley. Blaine really deserves being at Dalton after all he's been through and he's my twin. I love him and I want him to be as safe as possible."

 

The sad frown spreading on Rachel's face made her friends include her in a group hug. It made her laugh and ease a bit but for the other two, the subject Blaine wasn't finished yet.

 

"Miss Berry-Anderson, I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive you for not telling me that you have a gay brother who most likely knows what I go through," he scoffed jokingly and flicked her nose as to admonish her. Rachel couldn't help but to let out her highly contagious laugh and quickly directed herself into Kurt's play.

 

"I do apologize, mister Hummel. If I buy you that Alexander McQueen jacket you've wanted for months, will I be forgiven?"

 

"Rach, if you buy me that jacket, you'll be forgiven for everything you’ll do in the fifty years!"

 

While they laughed and refilled their cups, they heard the front door unlock and the voice of young man called out.

 

"Dad? Pa? Rach? Anybody home?"

 

"Speak of the devil," Rachel smiled. "In the kitchen, Blaine!"

 

-oOo-

 

In the hallway, Blaine dropped his messenger bag and took of his coat when he heard the melodic voice of his twin sister and he couldn't help but hurry to the room in the back. When he entered the kitchen he noticed his sister had guests but he couldn't bother with his usual politeness. He just had to run over to the small girl with the long, wavy, brown hair first.

 

"Hey Rach, I missed you," he sighed, hugging her tightly and pecked her on the cheek.

 

"Missed you too, Blainey," she said softly and hugged him back. "These are my friends, Mercedes and Kurt. I was just telling them about you."

 

Blaine straightened up and saw an African American girl smiling at the both of them. He stepped over to her and accepted the hand she held out to him.

 

"Nice to meet you, Mercedes. I'm Blaine. How do you do?"

 

Mercedes giggled a little when he chivalrously kissed the back of her hand.

"Is he always this charming, Rach?"

 

"Always," Rachel grunted, eyeing her brother a little annoyed. She loved him but simply could not stand it when he attracted all the attention by just being himself. Blaine just grinned back at her and stepped around her to get to the other male in the room.

 

"Hi, I'm-"

 

Blaine was about to introduce himself, when he looked up into the most gorgeous pair of eyes he had ever seen. And those gorgeous eyes belonged to the most beautiful boy he had ever laid his eyes upon.

Time seemed to have frozen as he took up what must have been an angel. Flawless porcelain looking skin, short dark brown hair that was styled with uttermost care, and an attire that screamed fashionista. He had perfection written all over him. This boy and his look had taken him aback so much that his mind had gone blank. He couldn't even tell his own name.

 

"I'm...I'm...ehm...Rach, who am I again?"

 

Rachel and Mercedes were both snickering, causing Blaine to blush heavily. He couldn't believe he had made such a fool out of himself in front of such a boy.

 

"I know who you are," a surprisingly high, but still rather masculine voice squeaked. "I...ehm...I am Kurt. Kurt Hummel."

 

To Blaine’s surprise, Kurt looked flushed as well and seemed just as taken aback by Blaine as Blaine was by him. Or he'd imagined it. Of course he'd imagined it. Why on earth would someone like Kurt take interest in some like him? Kurt must have the model-worthy men of the world lining up for him. What would he see in a nerdy, prep school boy?

Still, he took the hand Kurt had extended to him, trying not to look surprised by the softness of it. But he said nothing as his mind was very incapable of remembering any word in the English dictionary. He was also not able to remember how to let go of Kurt's hand - not that he wanted to, to be honest.

Blaine felt how he was drowning in those big, blue eyes. The longer he looked in them, the faster his heart seemed to beat. He felt lots of jitters in his stomach, and butterflies. There were butterflies there too. Oh, how he wanted to step forward and kiss those plum, pink lips. He couldn't help but wonder if they were just as soft as Kurt's hand had been.

 

This must be it, Blaine thought. This must be love at first sight.

 

His IQ had dropped so much that he never noticed that Kurt was in the same position as he was, because Kurt was lost. Lost in the pair of honey coloured eyes Blaine possessed. Deep on the inside he swooned over the curls on Blaine's head, which barely could be held down by the galleons of gel Blaine had used to control them.

Kurt also thought it was uttermost adorable that Blaine couldn't remember his own name when he first same him. He couldn't believe he actually could have that kind of impact on someone. Usually that was only capable by gorgeous cheerleaders like Santana Lopez and Brittany Pierce.

The two kept staring at each other, neither realizing that they were still holding hands. They'd both actually completely forgotten their surroundings. Why, they'd even forgotten an entire world existed besides the two of them.

 

It wasn't until Rachel subtly coughed when the love struck boys were sucked back to reality. Kurt was the first one to notice their joined hands and looked down to them; Blaine quickly followed. Quickly they released each other, both blushing furiously. Still, neither could but to smile at the other.

 

"Ehm...I...ehm...need to go," Blaine breathed - his gaze still locked on Kurt. He took a few steps backwards and finally managed to tear away from Kurt to address his twin.

"Hey Rach, I'm going to change and go. I promised Nick I'd come over to play videogames. Can you let Dad and Pa know when they get home?"

 

Rachel nodded with a teasing grin plastered on her face, causing Blaine to give her a light and playful shove and ruffle through her hair. He gave Mercedes a courteous nod and proceeded his was out of the kitchen. At the door he stopped and turned to Kurt - who hadn't moved an inch.

 

"Bye Kurt," he smiled dreamily and waved.

 

"Bye Blaine," Kurt whispered in return and waved too.

 

When Blaine had disappeared, Rachel and Mercedes took one look at each other and simultaneously started to hum the Bridal Chorus with mocking grins on their faces.

 

"Oh shut up," Kurt muttered, redder than ever before.

 

"Wow, I thought that only happened in movies," Rachel joked and took a sip from her drink while Mercedes nodded in agreement.

 

"I don't blame you though," Mercedes smiled. "Blaine's hot."

 

"Mercedes!" Rachel shrieked, almost choking on her hot cacao. "That's my brother you're talking about."

 

"So?" Mercedes shrugged. "It's the truth. And even if he's not going to admit it, Kurt thinks so too. Right, Kurt?"

 

Kurt turned a shade redder, drank the content of his cup in one go and practically ran out of the kitchen.

"You two! Basement! Karaoke! Now!"

 

The two girls giggled as they emptied their cups and followed the heavily blushing boy.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long delay

In the following week, Blaine and Kurt were only able to think about the other. It didn't go unnoticed by their environments, but both boys chose not to tell anybody. Still, the McKinley High glee club found out about Kurt's crush on Blaine as Rachel had told her boyfriend Finn - who reported it to the rest of the boys - and Mercedes had enlightened Tina - who told the rest of the girls.

Of course the talk of the day at first was, that there was actually a male version of Rachel Berry-Anderson walking around on the planet and it turned out Finn actually had known of his existence long before anyone else.  When the excitement over Rachel having a brother had died down a little, the focus shifted to Kurt having a crush on him. The girls showed way more interest than the boys, but that was normal within the New Directions.  

That didn’t keep Puck - and also Santana – from asking him repeatedly if he and Blaine had gotten any action on - even though he told them the only other time he had seen Blaine was the morning after their awkward meeting.  Blaine had joined him, Rachel and Mercedes at breakfast. They hadn't said more than 'good morning' to each other but had spent the entire time stealing glances and smiles. Blaine had left rather quickly and Kurt hadn't seen him since.

 Unfortunately for Kurt, Finn, who was also his stepbrother, had a blabbermouth and accidently spilled the existence of Blaine and the meeting between him and Kurt to their parents.

Now Burt Hummel wasn't blind. He noticed right away that his son was a little shook up after he'd returned from the Berry-Anderson's and had been dreamy and absent ever since. He also wasn't a gullible person and he didn't just believe the _'he's-just-Rachel's-brother-who-I've-met-once'_ or the 'I-don't-even-know-the-guy' stories. His innocent, little boy wasn't little anymore. He really realized that when Kurt took care of him by himself when he'd had a heart attack. 

Even though Kurt wasn't as far as a lot of teenage boys of his age were when it came to relationships, love and sex, he was surely getting there. He'd seen that when he wasn't dating Finn's mother Carole yet and Kurt was crushing on Finn and now there was this Blaine-kid. There may not be anything between his son and that boy right now, but it was clear that the sleepovers at Rachel were going to be more frequent, so who knows what could happen.

 Luckily he didn't have to explain to Kurt how not to get a girl pregnant but there were certain dangers to sex that went up for everyone and he couldn't stall preparing his son very much longer. Carole had told him to try and stop procrastinating so he went out and got some pamphlets on the birds and the bees – or the birds and the birds - and sat down with his son. It was a very awkward conversation but the fact that Kurt had run out with his fingers sticking in his ear while singing out loud made it clear for him that he didn't have to worry about Kurt getting in to certain situations for a long time.

 

For Blaine, things were relatively easier. Because he boarded during the weeks, none of his friends had frequent contact with his sister or parents. But they and every single member of the Warblers had no doubt that Blaine had met someone special. Blaine was usually poised, lively and organised, now he was a dreamy mess day and night. It didn't help his case that he blasted Katy Perry's Teenage Dream repetitively through his dorm room, nor that he sang or hummed it whenever he was not in his room. By Wednesday, all the students of Dalton Academy were ready to shoot the lead Warbler for this.

It had also lead to Wes stealing Rachel's number from Blaine's phone to call her for an explanation of Blaine's sudden personality change.  Rachel, who was unlike many girls and was actually highly delighted that her brother apparently crushed on her best friend, had no problem giving an extended version of everything that happened last Friday night. What she didn't realise was that, when she was talking to Wes, her fathers were overhearing her end of the conversation.

Bryan and Liam Berry-Anderson were parents who were very invested in the lives of their children. They knew Blaine had barely any experience when it came to boys. They'd given Rachel 'The Talk' when she started dating her second boyfriend Jesse St. James. Blaine, however, to their knowledge never had a boyfriend, nor had ever gone on a serious date; so they hadn't explain anything to him yet and waited till he got there like with his sister. As gay men they wanted to make sure that their son had a more adjusted version of 'The Talk'. One more proper for him as a gay teenager.   

This 'thing' with Rachel's new friend was different though. The way they had seen Blaine walking around over the weekend was unlike anyway they'd ever seen him before. And though, according to Rachel, absolutely nothing had happened between the two boys - other than the fact that they both seriously got their socks knocked off - Kurt would be coming over a lot more. That was as sure as can be. So in case something ever was to happen between these boys, they wanted Blaine to be prepared.

It was the first time Blaine returned home from Dalton since that phone call had taken place, and right away his parents had sat down with him in the living room and had 'The Talk' with him. He didn't quite understand where it all of the sudden came from, but he had listened patiently to what they had to say and only spoke or nodded when asked a question. Afterwards he didn't know how fast he had to dart to his room. He was grateful that his parents were so open to discuss this with him, but the entire conversation had put mental images of his parents doing those discussed things and they were images he wanted to forget as soon as possible.

The only thing that would really help, was seeing Kurt. As soon as he thought of Kurt, he forgot everything so it would most likely help against thoughts of his fathers’ sex life.  

He actually had hoped all week that Rachel would be having another sleepover so he could see the gorgeous boy again because Kurt hadn’t left his mind for a single moment in the past week. But he passed Rachel's room to get to his own, and found it empty. He shuffled disappointedly to his room and grabbed his rather old phone to text his sister. Luckily they were both getting an iPhone soon.

 

**From Blaine**

Hey Rach, where are you?"

 

It took a while but after a minute or ten or so, he received an answer from her

 

**From Rachel**

It's the birthday of one of the members of my glee club. We threw her a surprise party.

**From Blaine**

Cool, which one

 

**From Rachel**

Tina, the Asian girl

 

**From Blaine**

Tell her happy birthday for me

 

**From Rachel**

Will do. Want me to say something to Kurt as well?

 

**From Blaine**

Screw you

 

He kind of hated it that Rachel had found something to tease him with but he still managed to laugh while he put is phone away, sighing deeply. He let himself fall on his bed. For a long while he stared up at the ceiling but all he saw were the bright blue eyes that had looked at him a week ago. He rolled on his side, wishing he had something of a photo of Kurt. Just something that made it able to remember Kurt without wearing his brains out so much. They were already exhausted from having a crush all day anyway.

 

Then it hit him. Rachel had yearbooks. Yearbooks with photos of the students of William McKinley High, and Kurt was one of them.

He practically ran out of his room, stumbling on the way, and sneaked of to the room next to his. He did not need his parents to hear him or else he would need to explain why he was in Rachel's room. One embarrassing conversation per day was more than enough.

Silently he slipped into his sister's room. He was so grateful that Rachel was one of the tidiest and organized people he had ever met. Since she kept all her schoolbooks, reading books, song books and magazines neatly stacked in her large bookcase, it only took him seconds to locate the yearbooks. He grabbed all of them and fled back to his own room.

Back there, he went through all the books, one by one. In his freshman year, Kurt just looked adorable, Blaine thought. His face wasn't as defined as it was now. He could see in Kurt's proportions that he was a shorter back then and he had a completely different was of styling his hair.

To Blaine's surprise, Kurt was included in the group picture of the football squad. He looked very frail and small compared to his buff teammates surrounding him, but Blaine thought it made sense when he read Kurt was the kicker.

"Way of breaking the stereotype," he whispered admiringly.

He couldn’t find any more photos in the book so he moved on to their sophomore year. Kurt had already started to change into the beauty he was now. Blaine's was completely baffled when he discovered Kurt had exchanged his football uniform for one of the infamous William McKinley High Cheerios.

"Fuck, you were a cheerleader too?" He gasped but then sighed. Cheerleaders, girls and boys, didn't go for nerds like him, did they?

Rachel hadn't gotten her junior yearbook yet, but he found a sort-of-yearbook she had created herself. One entirely focused on the New Directions; the only group where she felt like she belonged, despite the fact that the club often couldn't stand her and she hadn't made friends until recently.

Unlike the other books, this one did have pictures of their junior year and lots of them too. The farther Blaine went to the back, the more photos of Kurt and Mercedes he discovered. One of the last photos - one of Kurt alone - pictured him exactly the way Blaine had seen him a week ago. The same hair, the same smile, the same gleam in his eyes; only the clothes were different. It must've been taken a few days ago.

Blaine stared at it for a few minutes and concluded that the image of Kurt that his brains had stored didn't do the beautiful boy any justice whatsoever. Kurt was far more breathtaking than he'd remembered.

This photo was his; He just had to keep it. Rachel had so many, surely she wouldn't miss one.  He hid it under his pillow and returned the books to their original place in the same manners as when he went to get them. After that, Blaine locked himself in his room. He put on Teenage Dream loud and on repeat and sang along with song, picture in his hand, dancing and daydreaming of Kurt as he did so.

 

-oOo-

 

At the same time, somewhere else in Lima, Ohio, Kurt was sitting alone at Tina's party. He had danced with most of the girls already but someone had put on a romantic song and almost everybody had started slow dancing.

There were Finn and Rachel, who would never not look weird together because of their insane height difference. Mercedes was dancing next to them with her boyfriend Sam, and Finn and Rachel’s other side was taken by exchange student Rory, who was dancing with New Directions latest member, Sugar. Mike twirled Tina around in the middle of the room and puck pretty much had his face buried between Lauren's boobs. Artie, who was wheelchair-bound, had his girlfriend Brittany on his lap with her arms wrapped around his neck, and he made the chair spin.

 From a corner, Santana was glaring and scowling at them. Kurt suspected that she was in love with Brittany, but wouldn't admit it. He did not ask her about it either because he knew how it felt when people presumed things about your feelings and sexuality, while you yourself were still struggling.

Quinn was also somewhere outside. Being the ex of Finn, Puck and Sam made it uncomfortable for her to be around a slow dancing glee club. Since Kurt had no date or boyfriend and he wasn't particularly fond of Santana, nor she of him, he was forced to sit this one out.

Boyfriend. He couldn't help but to think of Blaine when he heard that term. He pictured how Blaine was there, politely asking him for a dance. Blaine would lock his arm around his waist and hold him tightly as they swayed across the room. All the while they wouldn't look anywhere but in each other's eyes and the rest of the world would cease to exist. But Blaine, super handsome Blaine, was besides Rachel's twin, also way out of his league. But dreaming couldn't hurt, right?

"Hummel, will you stop acting like a creep. That empty stare of yours is just freaky," Santana sneered at him on her way out of the room, probably to find Quinn.

"I thought freaky was your thing," Kurt snapped back, but decided that daydreaming of Blaine in public wasn't the smartest idea. He didn't felt like joining the two cheerleaders in their never ending misery, so he sought company in his iPhone instead.

A delightful surprise awaited him; Rachel had sent him a FaceBook friend request. It seems his friend had listened to him when he told her that no one was on MySpace anymore. He accepted her and snooped a bit through her wall and saw a comment from Blaine Berry-Anderson, joking that Rachel finally had entered modern times.

He opted whether or not to send Blaine a request but decided not to do so...yet. They'd only met once and he didn't really know if Blaine liked him. Actually, he didn't know anything of Blaine other than the few things Rachel had told him and Mercedes. No, adding Blaine now would just seem way too stalkerish.

However, Kurt saw no reason to not visit his profile and he was blown away by Blaine's profile picture. The guy was at some festival, shirtless - damn, what a body - covered in body paint, shorts low on his hips, wild hair and a pair of bright coloured sunglasses on his face. Kurt could barely believe this was the same guy who walk into the Berry-Anderson kitchen, wearing an unwrinkled school uniform with gelled down hair. The photo got saved to his phone and luckily just in time. Because the music had changed and Tina and Brittany were now standing in front of him, practically begging to do the Single Ladies dance with them.

 


	3. Chapter 3

A week passed and Blaine eagerly came home from Dalton, hoping his sister was having another sleepover. But for the second week in a row, there was none. Well there was, but it was at Kurt's. All the Glee girls were there because Kurt was the only one who had all the products for a proper facial and they were going to have a sort of spa-day. So he went another week without seeing anything of Kurt except for the photo he carried around everywhere.

The week after, he came home with no hope are expectations at all. Especially since Rachel vaguely mentioned something along of a sleepover at Mercedes. Right as he pulled up his car at his house, one of his fathers did as well and he was caring several shopping bags with him.

"Hey Pa," Blaine greeted him and ran over to help his father carry all the stuff inside.

"Hey kiddo, how was school?" Bryan Berry-Anderson smiled.

"Great," his son answered. "The Warblers picked me to lead them at this year's sectionals. We'll probably have to go up against Rachel's school. I hope we don't; if we don't, we’ll surely meet at the Regionals. But I'd rather postpone a duel between our clubs as long as possible. Oh, and the soccer squad won another match. David was great he made a hattrick and everything. Classes have been hard, but I'm keeping up just fine.”

Bryan loved to hear his son speak so enthusiastically about his alma mater. Knowing Blaine could be who was and still be so happy and comfortable in school was everything he could wish for as a parent. If only he could feel the same about his daughter's school.

When all the bags were carried in, and they both had greeted and chatted up with Liam, Bryan handed Blaine two little bags.

"One's for you, one's for your sister. Have a look and take Rachel's upstairs to her, okay?"

Blaine peaked in one and saw a small iPhone box. The other bag held one as well.

"Thanks Pa! Thanks Dad" He practically yelled and flew his fathers around the neck before running upstairs to find his twin. Now usually Blaine was the epitome of politeness, but he was so excited right now to show his sister their new phones, that he stormed in to her room without knocking; only to find her on the floor, painting Mercedes' nails. They were both already in their pajamas.

"Hey Blaine," Rachel said after she recovered from the fright she had of someone suddenly barging into her room.

"Hey Rach, hey Mercedes."

It wasn't until he heard a small gasp, that he noticed there was a third person in the room sitting on Rachel's bed. He though his heart had jumped out of his chest when he saw who was laying there. Clad in dark blue, flannel pajamas, holding a phone in one hand and a pizza box in the other, was Kurt Hummel. Live and in person.

Blaine pretty much froze to the spot he's standing on. His heart raged, almost tugging him to towards the boy on the bed and the jitters in his stomach had taken the form of a hurricane.

"H-h-hi K-Kurt," he stammered awkwardly. It wasn't intentional; his brain just wouldn't cooperate as it should. He mentally beat himself for making such a horrible impression like the first time they had met. But much to his surprise, Kurt started to smile and brightly too. That one smile heated Blaine up like a cozy fireplace and a cup of hot chocolate in the middle of the winter.

"Hi Blaine," Kurt answered. His voice was as pure and sweet as Blaine remembered it to be. His lips curled up to a wide grin and Kurt copied him.

"Uhm Blaine, did you need something?" Rachel suddenly interrupted their subtle flirting - something neither boy actually realized they were doing.

"Eh yeah," Blaine mumbled as tore his gaze away from Kurt. He was slightly annoyed that Rachel had ruined that moment. He handed her one of the bags and watched his sister have the same reaction he had only minutes before. She and Mercedes immediately unpacked the little device and went over everything it contained. Blaine peeked over at Kurt again and sighed dreamily over the way Kurt watched his friends with a smile.

 

-oOo-

 

 All of the sudden Kurt locked eyes with him and they were both taken aback a bit by the unexpected connection.

Kurt was the first one to recover and held the pizza box out to Blaine. "Want a slice?"

Blaine slightly hesitated. It wasn't that he didn't want a slice, but there was just that chance that Kurt had the same eating habits like his sister.

"Don't worry. It's a normal cheese pizza. I can't stand that vegan crap Rachel stuffs down her throat either."

Rachel -who'd caught that remark- huffed something about being the only one caring about the well-being of animals, but her complaint was overpowered by Blaine's loud laughter. That one comment was enough to like Kurt a million times more.

"Mind if sit next to you?" Blaine asked quietly when Rachel had gone back to her new phone and he walked over to the bed.

"No, please sit," Kurt answered, slightly blushing. He scooted a bit; though that wasn't really necessary as Rachel's bed wasn't that small and Kurt was very slender. They'd easily fit on that bed together. So Blaine sat down and took a slice, eagerly ate it away and took another.

"Sorry," he said apologetically to Kurt. "I haven't had any dinner yet and I'm kind of hungry."

"Eat as much as you like then. I couldn't finish it all by myself anyway," Kurt replied with a caring tone in his voice. His heart melted because of the thankful smile Blaine gave him and took a slice himself, slowly nibbling it away.

"So you joined the Apple-craze, huh?" Kurt asked, nodding towards the box now lying between them.

"Yeah," Blaine smiled, grateful that Kurt came up with a topic. "Our dads said we could pick any phone we wanted so why not one of the best."

"Oh one of the best it is. I'm pretty inseparable from mine." Kurt grabbed his own phone from Rachel's nightstand and showed it to him. For some reason, Blaine was not surprised to see that the phone was protected by a case with the logo of Chanel on it.

The conversations about the phones casually changed into one about apps. That one somehow leaded to schools -Kurt pretty much thought that Dalton was gay heaven. Extracurricular activities and Glee clubs lead them to talking about their personal interests. They barely noticed how easy they chatted. They got each other's jokes, responded enthusiastically to the many things they found they had in common, laughed and giggled when the other was being cute and somehow complemented each other on many levels.

By the time they finally took a breather, two hours had passed. They never even noticed that Rachel and Mercedes had taken place behind Rachel's laptop to chat with Tina and to catch up on Gossip Girl. So now they were both lying on Rachel's bed, facing each other; silent but dreamily and flirtatiously grinning. Before, they had both fallen for each other's outside, now they were both in love with the inside.

"Hey, you two! Are you going to keep staring at each other or are you going to join Rachel and me. We're going to watch a movie," Mercedes said as she chucked a handful of popcorn to the two smitten boys ("Mercedes, my bed! Don't throw popcorn!")

"Which one?" Blaine asked, slightly disappointed that the entire sort-of-romantic air around Kurt and him had been driven away by pieces of sweetened popcorn.

"Sweeney Todd. The Tim Burton version," Rachel commented as she diligently tried to clean her bed from sweet snacks and teenage boys.

"Oh, I am so in!" Kurt yelled. Blaine smiled warmly, remembering how Kurt just had told him that he was a fan of Burton and of the protagonist of many Burton movies, Johnny Depp. Oly one of the things they had in common

"Will you be joining us, Blaine?"

Blaine was a little surprised by the way Kurt had addressed him so out of the blue. But he couldn't decline Johnny Depp _and_ Kurt, right? He'd be crazy not to say yes.

"I will but I'm going to change first. Dalton uniforms look rather cool but they're not quite comfortable."

"Yeah, the uniform looks really good on you,” Kurt said aloud before he could stop himself. He mentally slapped himself for it, but it wasn't really necessary. Blaine flashed him a bright grin.

"Okay, out you!" Rachel snapped and started to push her brother out of her room. She and Mercedes by now had discovered that once Blaine and Kurt locked eyes, they didn't stop. "Go change. We'll see you downstairs." She slammed the door shut and as soon as they all could hear Blaine shut the door to his own room, the girls pounced on Kurt.

"Oh my God, my brother is so in love with you," Rachel chirped.

"No he isn't," Kurt frowned. "He's just very nice and polite. That's all."

"Are you kidding me?" Mercedes exclaimed. "That boy has total heart eyes when he just looks at you. And when you smile he totally drools. Believe us, he's got a big crush. And you have one on him."

Kurt sighed and shook his head at the girls. "That I might have a crush is something I won't deny, but it's not mutual. He's way out of my league anyway. I have a bigger chance dating a bully like Karofsky than dating Blaine."

"Kuuuuuurt," Rachel whined. "Stop putting yourself down like that. Look, I know exactly when my brother likes someone. He liked quite some guys before. Like, innocent teen crushes; the way you used to like Finn or Mercedes liked you.  But the way he looks at you...the way he talks about you...it goes far beyond I've ever seen him act towards someone he likes. He's in love with you, accept it."

 

-oOo-

 

As the girls dragged him downstairs to make new popcorn, Kurt pondered over Rachel's words. Could Blaine really like him? It seemed to unrealistic to actually believe, but he tried to. When the popcorn was ready, they retreated in the living room. Rachel and Blaine's dads were in the basement with company so they had free reign over the TV. Rachel and Mercedes sat next to each other on the large corner couch with a bowl of popcorn between them, leaving Blaine the choice to sit next to Kurt, Mercedes or somewhere in the big space between them.

Just as the movie started, Blaine came down the stairs. Kurt felt his stomach knot when he saw his crush. Blaine was wearing a pair of grey pajama pants, a white v-neck shirt, which fitted him way too well. And he had taken a quick shower, so his hair was gel free - thus very curly. The guy didn't hesitate for a second to take the spot right next to Kurt and gave him a grin when he did so. Maybe Rachel was actually right, Kurt thought secretly.

Right at the first song, all four of them sang loudly along. Kurt and Blaine were far beyond impressed with each other voices. It was the first time they'd heard the other sing in person; of course Kurt had looked op the Warblers on YouTube and Blaine had watched some of the video's Rachel had of the New Directions. Pure and live was better in their opinions.

About half an hour into the movie Kurt suddenly felt a hand locking around his wrist. He snapped his head to the left, only to find Blaine nervously smiling at him and motioning for him to come closer. He hesitated for a moment because he didn't get what Blaine meant, but when Blaine silently tapped on the little empty piece of couch right next to him, it hit him. He glanced over at Mercedes and Rachel first but they were completely absorbed in the movie. He scooted closer to Blaine, almost unnoticeably and kept doing it until their thighs were pressed together.

Blaine's heart beat fast. He could hardly believe that after two weeks of pining over Kurt, the boy was so close and willingly at that. Now that he had taken the step to invite Kurt over, he knew he needed to have courage and continue. So in a very subtle way, he laid his arm around Kurt's shoulder.

Kurt jolted when he felt it. A, because he was taken by surprise and B, because no one had ever done that with him. Well, Mike had, but it had been completely platonic. Kurt was on his way to class, alone, when Mike had caught up to him and had put an arm around his shoulder so they could secretly talk about a surprise Mike was planning for his and Tina's anniversary. Kurt always thought of Mike as a good guy. Mainly because he was the only guy, who never flinched away whenever he got to close or always treated him like one of the girls. (While the other Glee boys had stopped doing the first thing over time, they still tend to treat him as one of the girls.)

But this wasn't Mike, this was Blaine. Blaine, whose twin sister just had told him, might have a crush on him. That made everything different, right?

Only Blaine had taken Kurt's reaction in the wrong way. The way Kurt flinched when he touched him couldn't be right. Maybe he overstepped too many boundaries by doing that. He moved his arm right away but was stopped by a hand that gripped his wrist. Then Kurt looked at him and those big blue eyes reassured him that this was okay. That Kurt didn't mind at all and so he left his arm dangling around Kurt's shoulders.

Kurt grinned satisfied at Blaine and released the tight grip he had on his wrist. This time it was Blaine's hand lunging for his, basically asking him in a non-verbal way to not let go of him. When Kurt came over the first wave of confusion, he didn't. He let Blaine hold his hand and gasped when Blaine started to brush his thumb over his knuckles. He shot his head up and his eyes found Blaine's, as Blaine's weren't watching the movie any longer. They just sat like that for a while, facing each other, drifting into a world of their own and ignoring reality.  

 


	4. Chapter 4

In one of the middle spots of the couch, Rachel sat deeply invested in one of her favourite musicals. There was never a moment in which she would so no to watching Sweeney Todd. ‘Not While I’m Around’ came on and she instantly thought of her brother. She always did, because it was their song; they always sang it to each other when one of them was in a sad mood or had a very bad day.  She couldn’t help but seek a connection with Blaine right now. When she did, deep surprises hit her.

Her best friend was now completely pressed against her brother. They were holding hands and smiling almost lovingly at each other. Kurt then tucked his legs beside him and rested his head on Blaine’s shoulder while focusing on the TV again. Blaine on his turn gently nuzzled his nose into the soft brown hair - which was now tickling his jaw - and started to mouth the lyrics to the song, directing them at Kurt.

_Nothing's gonna harm you, not while I'm around. Nothing's gonna harm you, no sir, not while I'm around._ _  
Demons are prowling everywhere, nowadays. I'll send 'em howling. I don't care, I got ways._

Even though Kurt couldn’t hear him, Blaine kept mouthing the lyrics. Rachel didn’t need their twin bond to understand Blaine meant every word. That was all written in Blaine’s eyes.

_No one's gonna hurt you,_ _n_ _o one's gonna dare. Others can desert you. Not to worry, whistle, I'll be there._ _  
Demons'll charm you with a smile, for a while. But in time... Nothing can harm you. Not while I'm around..._

What stood out to Rachel the most, was how happy her brother and her best friend seemed. This was by far the happiest she’d seen either of them in years. It was as if they were radiating love. They were meant to be together, she was convinced. Blaine’s gaze drifted to her and they made a connection. His eyes gave away that he was falling hard for the boys in his arms; that it all felt so right. Rachel simply smiled and nodded. Blaine smiled back and pulled Kurt a little bit closer. Automatically Kurt snuggled closer and shifted his head a little closer to the crook of Blaine’s neck.

 

At the end of the movie, Kurt exchanged shy glances with Blaine when they released each other. Rachel had already skipped over to the TV to collect the DVD and started to gather all the empty cups and candy bowls.

“Never mind, sis. I’ll clean up. You guys can go upstairs and continue with your sleepover.”

Kurt’s heart swelled at the display of chivalrousness from Blaine. There just weren’t that many boys who were so extremely polite these days. Rachel thanked her twin with a warm hug, and she and Mercedes wished him a good night before fleeing up the stairs in a cloud of giggles. Both girls had noticed the way Blaine and Kurt had sat together; such things needed to be discussed immediately, mind you. Kurt shook his head while pinching the bridge of his nose; he knew he was in for a very long night. But right now he didn’t know how to handle the situation he was currently in. Should he just casually say Blaine good night and walk away? No, that would be too weird after the way they sort of cuddled. Should he hug Blaine? Would a kiss on the cheek be too much?

“Hey Kurt?” A soft voice pulled him out of his thoughts, much like the hand that was placed on his shoulder. He focused and saw Blaine right before him looking rather nervous.

“Thank you,” Blaine said. “For tonight I mean. The talking and stuff. It was very satisfying to be able to talk to someone who gets me. I mean, my friends get me of course. I can talk to them about sports, videogames and music and other general things. And I can talk with Rachel about my love for theater and musicals and my deepest personal issues. But I know no one with whom I can talk about other things I’m interested in. There’s a part of me that loves Vogue and Marie Claire, Project Runway and America’s Next Topmodel. And Lady Gaga is one of my biggest guilty pleasures. But no one I know in school reads or watches those things and God knows Rachel has never touched a Vogue in her life, with those awful animal sweaters she wears. “

They laughed hard at this, knowing it was the cold truth. Blaine sat down on the couch again and Kurt followed right after.

“But it’s not just those things you know,” he continued. “Not at all. I’ve never in my life met someone of my age who knows exactly what I went through before Dalton. The bullying, the bashing…not one person.”

Blaine bit a little on his lip, chocking down the anger he felt coming up as he bitterly started at the floor. The he felt two soft hands closing over his own. He looked up into those bright blue eyes and felt some sort of calmness washing over him.

“When I talked to you, it was the first time I said to myself, I’m not alone.”

“You felt understood,” Kurt whispered and Blaine nodded in return, wiping a tear from his cheek. “I know. Everything you said is exactly how I feel too. It’s nice to see recognition in someone, instead of compulsory compassion and unwanted pity. My friends mean well when they say they feel sorry when they found out I got tossed around my some bulky jock again. But there’s no one in McKinley who knows what it’s like to be the prime example for others not to come out like I did. And the teachers just don’t care.”

Suddenly Blaine started sobbing and that turned out into full crying. He buried his face in his hands, feeling slightly ashamed that Kurt saw him like this.

“Hey Blaine, don’t cry,” Kurt said worriedly as he climbed in Blaine's lap and wrapped his arms around him. He rocked Blaine a bit, while the tears streamed hard down the latter boy's face.

“I'm so sorry,” Blaine hiccupped. “This just all reminds me of the past. And you're still dealing with it. I feel like a coward for fleeing to Dalton while you're still in it. You're so strong.”

“I’m not,” Kurt replied softly. “I'm pretty broken and I meet my limit every day. Any idea how many times a week I lock myself in a bathroom stall and cry, wishing it would all stop. Glee, my friends in Glee, and my dream of becoming Broadway stars with Rachel are the only things keeping me still together. If I had been able to run to a school like Dalton, I probably would've done so too. It's not being a coward, it's called surviving.

“Can you really call yourself out when you ran, because it was you alone against all the homophobic jocks - who outnumber you by the tenfold - and no one's willing to help you? At least I have my Glee friends who have my back. You had no one but Rachel and she's a Munchkin.”

Blaine snickered and wrapped his arms around Kurt’s slim waist, while pressing his face against Kurt’s chest.

“I’ve felt like a coward my whole high school life and you just killed that within a few seconds.”

“I guess I’m just that good,” Kurt replied with a smile. It was suddenly very warm and it was all because of Blaine’s hug. Without question he hugged Blaine back - and tightly at that too – while slowly combing his fingers through Blaine’s dark, springy curls. He didn’t know why, but he really like this; just sitting on Blaine’s lap and playing with his hair. He could do it for hours and Blaine seemed to enjoy it very much.

“What are you doing to me,” Blaine sighed. “I barely know you, yet I’m so at ease with you; as if we’ve been best friends for a lifetime. “

“I know,” Kurt smiled. “I could ask you the same thing.”

They fell into a comfortable silence in which they did not let each other go, nor did Kurt stop stroking Blaine’s hair. It wasn’t until they heard some clatter coming from upstairs that they remembered why Kurt was at Blaine’s house again. He was still part of a sleepover.

“You should go,” Blaine said remorseful.  He didn’t want Kurt to go but he knew Rachel would come down if the other boy stayed too long.

“Yeah, I know,” Kurt replied sadly. He got up from Blaine’s lap and couldn’t help but to run his hand through Blaine’s curls one more time. Blaine laughed and fished Kurt’s hand out of his hair but didn’t let go just yet.

“Could we…err…you know…do this again…some times. The talking I mean. Like we did earlier…I really liked it.”

Kurt’s eyes widened at this request. He couldn’t quite believe this was actually happening. It wasn’t an invite for a date but it was more than a guy had ever asked him for.

“Of course. I’d love to even.”

 

They took their phones out and exchanged phone numbers. After, Kurt helped Blaine cleaning the living room up –not without stealing glances from each other - and within minutes Blaine guided Kurt back to Rachel’s room. They awkwardly stared at each other before Blaine took the initiative and stepped forward to engulf Kurt with a tight embrace.

“Thank you again. Sweet dreams,” he whispered into Kurt’s ear, not wanting his sister to hear them and ruin the moment.

“Sweet dreams,” Kurt repeated and offered Blaine the sweetest smile. Many feelings raged through him as he watched how Blaine went to the adjacent room; they waved to each other before Blaine entered the room and closed the door behind him.

 

oOo

 

“You are so not good for my heart,” Kurt mumbled enchanted and entered Rachel’s room. Right away he got washed away by the gulf of questions coming at him.

“Did you kiss him?” Rachel said with a high pitched, giggly tone as she all but pushed him on her bed.

“You are so weird, Rach,” Kurt snorted, shaking his head a little. “Most people wouldn’t want to know whether or not their siblings swapped saliva with someone. Just as I do not wish to hear any stories from Finn about his and your sex life. But to answer your question: no we didn’t. Nothing romantic even came up.”

The girls were already prepared to make protesting noises, but Kurt stopped them and went on explaining what happened. 

“We just talked about how it is to finally know someone, who went through everything we went through. Your brother is so scarred from middle school, Rach. He tries hard to hide it, but his eyes deceive him. And then he started crying too. It was heart breaking.”

“He cried?” Mercedes gasped. “That’s so sad. Is he alright”

Kurt just nodded, “I think so. He was looking better when he went to his room.”

Suddenly Rachel bolted from off her bed and out of her room. Kurt and Mercedes just stared at the doorway and turned to one another.

“Wow, weird,” Mercedes mumbled and then took Kurt’s hands in hers. “I get that you didn’t talk about anything romantic, but at least explain what that was between you two when we were watching Sweeney Todd? You know that wasn’t just a ‘just friends’ – air quotes – thing.”

“I honestly don’t know ‘Cedes.  I don’t know where it came from, or why any of us did it. But it felt so right though. I understand now why all you Glee-couples like to glue to each other all day. I was practically in heaven when he had his arms around me.” They laughed because Mercedes fiercely nodded in agreement. She never let an opportunity go to snuggle with Sam when they were in class or Glee.

“But I think that he just tried to start some sort of bond that could lead to a friendship,” Kurt continued. “Trying to prove he means no harm or something; or trying to let me know I can be at ease around him.  I don’t know really. I want to think that he meant it in a romantic way but he didn’t say anything of it and I’m still not all that convinced that he likes me like that. Rachel has been wrong many times before.”

“That’s true,” Mercedes nodded. “But maybe you should talk to him about it. Just to clear it all out. Who knows? Maybe he does really like you, but he’s too shy to straight up say it.”

“On one hand, I’d like to do that, but on the other hand I’m scared,” Kurt admitted. “I kind of really like him and I don’t want my hopes to get crushed by him saying he doesn’t like me that way.”

“Seriously?” Mercedes snorted, rolling her eyes as she gave Kurt a light shove. “Did you not see the way he was totally baffled when you two first met?”

“Yeah, you were completely baffled when you saw Matt for the first time. Your love for him quickly died when you started talking to him, didn’t it. You didn’t shed a single tear when he transferred. And look at how long you and Sam had been friends before sparks finally started flying. Let’s not forget how things ended for me after I first laid eyes on Finn. I thought he was some God back then. Right now, I don’t even understand what I saw in him. I just…”

He sighed deeply and got off the bed. Without a single word, he mindless walked around in circles, ignoring every time Mercedes said his name. After a while he stopped in front of Rachel’s bookcase because his eyes fell on a fairly recent photo of the Berry-Anderson twins. He picked it up and stared intently at Blaine’s face.

“Just look at him, ‘Cedes. He’s so insanely beautiful. It’s like I get punched every time I lay my eyes on him. And he’s so sweet too, unlike any guy I’ve ever met. He understands me perfectly and we actually have loads in common. He’s really smart and very talented and he has the voice of a rockstar. He seems so perfect sometimes that it drives me and my hormones crazy. I don’t want my heart to get shattered because it turns out he doesn’t reciprocate my feelings.”

“Oh Kurt,” Mercedes cooed. “C’mere.”

She waved him over and Kurt did so after putting the photo back. The two of them curled up together on Rachel’s bed, and Mercedes hugged her best friend while he muttered about the cruelness of love and pined over Blaine some more.

 

oOo

 

In the room next to Rachel’s, Blaine lay on his bed. Except for the screen of his laptop lying beside him – it was playing an episode of Sherlock – the lamp on his bedside table was the only thing illuminating the room. He wasn’t paying any attention to his laptop though; no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t get Kurt out of his head. His whole body tingled just by the thought of Kurt lying in his arms, of him sitting in his lap and playing with his hair. He didn’t want Kurt to stop.

He couldn’t help but wonder why Kurt had agreed to sit with him during the movies. He himself kind of invited him out of a sudden impulse. He had fantasized about it since the start of the movie but didn’t have the guts to do it and suddenly his hand was around Kurt’s wrist. The last thing he expected was Kurt actually going into the invite.

His conclusion was that Kurt just was ridiculously nice to him, because Kurt never had any guy act so open and welcoming to him like Blaine – which was quite ridiculous. Did the boys at McKinley not have eyes? Why would anybody ignore such a gorgeous human being? If this was New York instead of Lima, somebody like Kurt would be worshipped by many. Luckily this wasn’t New York though, because he would stand no chance against the men there. Not that he had any chance with Kurt now. But at least they’d opened a door to a very promising friendship. That was better than nothing at all, right?

 A soft nock on his door shook Blaine out of his thoughts and it opened before he could even answer.

“Blainey? Are you awake?” Rachel softly asked, while poking her head through the opening.

“Hey sis,” Blaine smiled and motioned for her to come in. “Aren’t you supposed t have a sleepover?”

Rachel tiptoed over to his bed and seated on the edge. “Yes. But...ehm...Kurt mentioned you cried earlier because of some things you two talked about and I just had to see if you were okay.”

“I am,” Blaine reassured her. “Kurt said things that made me feel loads better. Not just about now, but about the past too. I wish I had met him a few years back, ‘cause I would’ve struggled a whole lot less.”

Rachel grimaced. She knew her brother was right.

“I kind of feel guilty. I did think of you whenever I saw him get tortured. But I never thought of introducing the two of you because I loathed Kurt and his talent so much. I always was too focused on fighting him for leads. Any idea how exceptional his voice is?”

“You don’t have to feel guilty. You weren’t friends at all. And I knew how competitive you can get towards people who can seriously take you on. Yes, it would’ve benefited both Kurt and me but it isn’t something you should feel guilty about. Besides, we know each other now. Talking with him now proves to be just as helpful. It works quite therapeutic actually.” 

The twins exchanged identical smiles, confirming that they both were okay. Rachel then leaned over and took her brother’s hand in her own. She let her thumb stroke over his knuckles and whispered the question she wanted to ask him ever since he had laid eyes on Kurt and wanted to ask him even more after she saw him singing to her best friend.

“Do you like him?”

“Who?”

“Duh, Kurt of course. Do you like him?”

“Yes,” Blaine shrugged. “He’s one of the most interesting people I’ve ever met. He’s unique and incredibly sweet. And he understands me in ways not even you can.”

“Blainey,” Rachel sighed, rolling her eyes. She took it upon herself to move from the edge to the middle of the bed and leaned her head against her brother’s shoulder. “I didn’t mean like in an amicable way. I mean, do you _like_ him?” she asked, putting emphasis on the word like.

Blaine’s mouth popped out in a perfect oh. Well, the answer was a very convincing yes of course. That was one question Blaine didn’t need to hesitate about at all. But he knew that whatever he answered now, he sister was going to pass through in the other room and Kurt was going to know it. He was already crazy about that boy, but pursuing a friendship with him was important to him. He wasn’t convinced that Kurt liked him the way he liked Kurt, and he didn’t know how Kurt would react if Kurt found out about his deep crush. It could kill the friendship thing. But he couldn’t just say no, because what if, maybe, hopefully, Kurt liked him back in even the littlest way possible? So he went to the only answer that seemed right at the moment.  


  


 

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

 

“I don’t know.”

"You don't know?" Rachel gasped. "But you guys talked for hours. Literally. How do you not know if you like him?"

"Yes Rach, we talked and I like him, more than enough to want to be friends. But talking to someone, doesn't automatically make you fall in love, you know _." Well, in my case it certainly does_ , he thought secretly.

"But you were flabbergasted when you first met him," his sister stammered confused.

"I was," he answered honestly. "I won't deny that. He's really beautiful _\- more like irrationally gorgeous_ , he added mentally - but just because a guy is beautiful and I'm gay, it doesn't mean that I'm in love with him right away."

Rachel shot him a very suspicious look through her squinting eyes, making Blaine immediately realise that she didn't believe him. Of course she didn't. She's his twin and super best friend. She could see through all his lies. She _always_ did. Odds were she’s already seen in his eyes how he felt about Kurt

"If you say so, then I'm going with it,” she brought forth on a tone that just confirmed to Blaine she didn’t believe him. “Just know that if you do like him or fall in love with him in the future, I support it one hundred percent. You deserve someone like him and vice versa."

Blaine simply nodded and pecked her on her temple. ”You should go back to your friends. They’ll wonder where you are.”

They wished each other good night again and Rachel made her way back to the door. Right before she opened it, Blaine called her name, making her turn around.

"Yes?"

"Does...does he like me?"

Rachel stared intently at her brother. She then let her lips curl up in a mischievous grin.

"He doesn't know."

Blaine pouted a little and grabbed a pencil from his nightstand to chuck it at his sister.

"You're mean"

"And you are in denial. Good night Blaine."

 

She didn't stay to hear her brother's frustrated groan, but went back to her own room instead - where she found her friends curled up together on her bed. They were softly talking and the only thing she picked up was Kurt saying, "he's almost perfect."

"Who is?" Rachel asked, pretending not to know the answer.

"Mr. Shue," Kurt mocked as he motioned for her to come and sit with them. She did so and took place at Kurt's other side, so both girls now lay next to him with their heads on his shoulder and their arms around him.

"Were you with Blaine?" Kurt asked.

Rachel nodded. "You said that he had cried and I just had to check if he was okay. I probably wouldn't be able to sleep if I didn't know for sure that he was."

She looked up to find both Kurt and Mercedes smiling very fondly at her.

"What's up? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"No offence, Rach," Mercedes started. “But usually at school whenever you care for someone or help them, you only care because helping that person somehow benefits you. But when it comes to Blaine, you are so selfless. You don't even think about if helping him might be in your favour. You just jump on it. It's really nice to see this side of you."

Kurt nodded along in agreement and Rachel got a teary smile. She reached a bit over Kurt so she could hug the both of them.

"First of all, no offence taken. I know it's true. And Blaine; he's, besides my twin, all I had for a long while. He and I just have that special bond. I cannot help but to be selfless around him."  
She sighed and then sat up straight, tucking her legs under her.

"Blaine actually told me a while to be less selfish like that in school, you know. That if I came off truly honest in my actions, people would give me a chance. I tried and Kurt gave me that chance and now the three of us are friends.”

“Well, then we owe Blaine a huge thank you,” Kurt said joyfully.

“Yes,” Mercedes agreed. “You should go over to his room and thank him with a big kiss.”

She and Rachel broke out in loud laughter while Kurt pouted and grabbed one of Rachel’s pillows to smack both girls.

“He said you’re really beautiful,” Rachel teasingly cooed as she hopped over Kurt and sought cover behind Mercedes to avoid the incoming pillow-attack.

“He did not!” Kurt exclaimed. He sat frozen on the bed, eyes bulging out and mouth wide open.

He couldn’t believe Blaine had actually said that. It just couldn’t be true.

“I swear,” Rachel smiled as honest as possible. “He claims not to know yet if he likes you in that kind of way or not, but I think he’s totally lying.”

Kurt furiously blushed and just the pillow he was still holding to bury his face in. The girls continued to tease him about it until the clock struck two am and Liam came in the room to shoo them all to bed. When Rachel and Mercedes each were settled on Rachel's bed, and Kurt found a comfortable position on Rachel's pullout couch, his phone buzzed under his pillow. At first he groggily wondered who in their right mind texted him at two in the morning. But all his annoyance disappeared immediately when he saw Blaine's name blinking on, the screen. He was suddenly very eager and very much awake.

 

**Blaine**

_Hi Kurt. Thanks again for tonight. I really liked talking with you. You're one of the sweetest and kindest persons I've ever met. Sweet dreams, Blaine._

Kurt's heart swelled as a read the message a few times over with glimmering eyes. He finally managed to send Blaine a reply back, telling him that the experience felt the same to him and the he thought likewise of him. Both boys fell asleep with a huge grin on their face.

 

-oOo-

 

The Sunday after was the first time Blaine called Kurt. He’d already gone back to Dalton - his sister was driving him crazy with her demands that he’d tell her all about his feeling for her best friend, even though he kept denying everything.

Initially, he just wanted to ask how Kurt was doing but they ended up talking for four whole hours, without realizing it. They knew Blaine would get in trouble as soon as his parents would get the phone bill. So they decided to move their conversations to Skype. They met there almost every day. First it was only talking but after a few days, they started to do homework together this way and even tutored each other - Blaine helped Kurt with his physics, while Kurt helped Blaine and even some friends of Blaine with French. They were really starting to bond but it was still all on a friendship level; neither had the guts to say a thing about their feelings for the other.  
In the upcoming weekend, they didn’t see each other. It was the birthday of Carole, Kurt’s stepmother, and he found it rude to leave for a sleepover at Rachel’s; even if he wanted to see Blaine really bad after their week on Skype. Besides, Carole’s birthday was an excellent excuse to try out some new cake recipes.

Blaine was rather disappointed as well, but understood completely. He wouldn’t go to his friends either if one of his family members had a birthday. But he want to see Kurt and very badly at that. He’d experienced how comfortable he felt around the other boy and these conversations only added to that. Talking to Kurt easily became his favourite moment of the day. Just seeing his crush’s face on his computer screen made up any stressful day at Dalton.

Those days even became much more stressful than they were to begin with because he had created the habit to daydream during classes. He simply could not forget how Kurt had sat on his lap and played with his hair. It had been one of the most wonderful things he’d ever experienced in his entire life.

To make up for their missed weekend, Blaine scraped up all of his courage and asked Kurt to have coffee with him. It wasn’t a date per se; he just really wanted to see Kurt in person. He didn’t even know if Kurt viewed him as more than a friend. Because friends they were. They had established that after Kurt had slipped that he already saw Blaine as one of his closest friends and Blaine had said he felt the same about Kurt.   

So they met up at the Lima Bean, had coffee and the time of their lives together. Afterwards they took a trip to a nearby mall and just strolled around, going in and out of shops. Blaine recommended a few good albums in a music store he loved, while Kurt gave Blaine some excellent clothing tips and even got him to buy a leather jacket that looked breathtaking on him.  Blaine on his turn, refused to let Kurt leave the mall without buying a white sweater with blue and red stripes because Kurt looked beyond stunning in it. A few hours and a couple of shopping bags later, they had dinner together too, but then it was really time to part.

Acting like a perfect gentleman, Blaine walked Kurt to his Navigator. They were walking very close together and Blaine even had his arm wrapped around Kurt’s waist.

“Thank you for inviting me,” Kurt said softly. “I can’t remember having this much fun in a long time. I love hanging with my Glee girls, but this is different somehow.”

“Yeah, I could never get Wes or David to do this and Nick and Jeff would probably kill me just for suggesting it. They’re all shop-phobic. Oh speaking of Nick. Both he and our French teach send their gratefulness to you. Nick passed his first test in months since you’ve helped him. Our French Teacher had already given up on him.”

They’d reached Kurt’s navigator already and now kind of stood there facing each other. They both just smiled, picturing in their heads how the other stepped forward and just kissed them. But that obviously wasn’t going to happen as both still thought the other’s feelings didn’t pass the friend zone.

“Do you have to go back to Dalton now?” Kurt asked.

“Yes. Curfew is in an hour and a half. I’ll make it in time if I leave now,” Blaine sighed and took a deep breath. “I really love hanging out with you, Kurt. Can we do this again soon?”

Blaine could barely contain his laugh when Kurt eagerly nodded his head.

“Okay, come on Skype later then. We’ll set a day.” He stepped a little bit closer and placed a hand on Kurt’s shoulder. Kurt cocked his head in surprise. “Think we’ll see each other again before our next mall-trip?”

“I’ll be at your house this Saturday,” Kurt shrugged. “Rachel wants to have a Julie Andrews marathon. I don’t think she or Mercedes will mind if you join. That’s if you want to of course.”

“Depends,” Blaine said with a little smirk. He let his hand wander from Kurt’s shoulder to the boy’s hand and took it in his own. “Will you sit with me again like we did during Sweeney Todd?”

“If you want me to,” Kurt replied with a teasing grin.

“I do.”

“Then I will.”

“Then I’ll join.”

“Fine.”

“Fine.”

They were now even closer, glaring daringly at each other but Blaine couldn’t keep his face straight and started snickering, which made Kurt sort of giggle and then they both realised that maybe, very possibly, they were flirting. Kurt wondered if he should say something about it or not - because a part of him was still convinced he was imagining these things, but then he was almost positive Blaine was staring at his lips. He could be wrong but he could swear Blaine was gravitating even closer; closer for a kiss.

Suddenly everything got ruined by the ringing of Blaine’s phone. It was a simple text from Wes, asking him if he was on his way back to Dalton yet, but it had killed the entire mood. Blaine royally cursed himself for giving his friends his phone number.

“My mothers are worrying so I better get going now.”

Kurt nodded sadly but yelped when Blaine literally yanked him into a hug.

“I’ll see you later on Skype?” Blaine whispered in his ear.

“Definitely.”

They broke apart but Kurt closed the gap between them right away and lightly pecked Blaine on the cheek. He blushed heavily and jumped into his car after he muttered a quick goodbye.   
Blaine stood frozen on the spot.

Kurt had kissed him.

Whether it was friendly meant, or as more, it had felt like the best thing in the entire world.

 

 


	6. Chapter 6

Blaine watched how Kurt backed his car off out of the parking lot and drove away. It wasn't until the other boy was completely out of sight, that he could get his brains to function just well enough so he could move. On the way to his own car, his phone started to ring again and he saw ' Wes' written on the little screen. With a grunt he picked up.

"Hello mother."

"Very funny, Anderson." Blaine shook his head at the name. Most guys at Dalton - in particular his closest friends - were too lazy to say his full name or argued that it took too long to say it. So he went by the name Anderson at Dalton, since Blaine Berry made it sound like he was some sort of forest fruit.

"I wouldn't call you that if you didn't keep acting on it."

"Well excuse us if we care so much that we don't want to see you get in trouble, because your lover made you miss curfew. Speaking of him, how was your boyfriend?"

"Other than the fact that he isn't my boyfriend, he was perfect. As usual."

"Did you kiss him?" Another voice suddenly asked while Wes complained in the background; most likely because his phone got taken from him.

"Hey Nick. And no, we didn't. The moment was there though, and I probably would've."

"But?"

"But a certain person at Dalton sent me a text and ruined the moment.”

About six different boys shouted obscene things to Wes; said boy could be heard fleeing the room, crying out excuses.

"Don't be too harsh on him guys. I want something left to kill when I get back," Blaine laughed to no one in particular, knowing he was on speaker.

"Good luck with that," a voice that was David's said above the racket that was coming from the Dalton end of the line. "Nick is chasing him now. That boy roots so hard for you and Kurt. It's like he wants you two to be together more than you do."

"David?"

"Yeah?"

"He kissed me on the cheek."

Instant silence.

"He did what!"

"It was more like a very quick peck though."

"Doesn't matter," Trent, one of the Warblers who got along with Blaine very well, said. "A kiss is a kiss. Are you now convinced he likes you?"

"That's the thing, Trent. I don't know what to think. At one point we talked about kissing and he said he only really kissed once. But he pretty much kisses all his Glee girls, save for a bitchy cheerleader, on the cheek every day. It just seems to be the way he greets his girlfriends. And now me apparently."

"Ahw, are you disappointed that another guy beat you to giving him his first kiss?" Jeff teased somewhere in the background.

"It was a girl," Blaine chuckled. Again, instant silence.

"A girl?" David asked confused.

"Tall, skinny, blonde cheerleader."

"You're joking right?" Jeff snorted, clearly not convinced.

"Nope, unless you know any guy with the name Brittany."

"You sure he's gay?" Trent laughed.

"Yup. It happened during some issues with his dad but those are private stories. You can ask him yourselves if he wants to tell you. I'm seeing him on Skype later."

"Damn, you two spent all afternoon and evening together and you still have the need to see each other online? How are you not dating, Blaine? I'm getting frustrated over my ship not being cannon," Nick whined and everyone sighed, which they did every time he used fanfiction lingo.

"I'm hanging up guys. I'm about to drive. Someone feed Nick some Drarry. I'll be there in about an hour."

He greeted his friends and hung up. Without the distraction of his friends, his mind wandered right back to Kurt and the kiss. He had seen Kurt blush, but he wasn't sure if it was from the kiss or not. If only Wes hadn't ruined that other moment; he'd have kissed Kurt for real and would've known whether Kurt liked him or not. But for now, all he was able to do was put on some Katy Perry and sing out loud about how Kurt was his teenage dream, while he made his way back to Dalton.

oOo

Later that day, well after midnight, the two boys were still chatting on skype; both lying on their respective beds with their laptops next to them. Blaine's friends had barged in earlier and had questioned Kurt about his first kiss, that happened to have been with a cheerleader.

 After some hesitation he had told them the full back-story about playing straight to get attention from his father and actually getting a girlfriend from it. The boys had been angry at Burt for the way he had neglected his son, but were glad he was now so accepting of Kurt. Also, they had mounts of respect for him for having his first kiss with a cheerleader.

The whole conversation was pretty overwhelming for Kurt. He was just not used to getting genuine interest from guys. That was the precise reason why he liked Blaine's friends so much, despite the fact that he had never met any of them in real life. They were all just so kind to him and listened more to what he had to say than any guy in his Glee club did, including his own (step)brother.  He secretly wished he had such make friends at McKinley.

Around ten o'clock, Blaine started to usher all the blazer-clad boys out of his room but the last ones -Wes and David- didn't leave until eleven. Blaine's roommate was still there of course, but he had given them their privacy by watching a movie on his own laptop with headphones on.

Blaine had meant to say goodbye to Kurt short after the other boys had departed, because he had to get up early the next morning. But a half hour later they were still talking.

They were laughing over something stupid Finn had done, when Kurt mentioned how shamelessly he and Rachel had made out in front of the entire Glee club and their teacher. It instantly reminded Blaine of earlier that day.

"Hey Kurt, about that kiss you gave me..."

Kurt gasped softly and turned pale. Blaine obviously hadn't liked it. He probably thought it was inappropriate, but knowing him he was too polite to say something right there. He had to make up an excuse to save their friendship because he absolutely couldn't lose Blaine as a friend.

"I'm so sorry. I don't know why I did it. I greet the Glee girls like that all the time. You know, I told you. I guess it was a force of habit because I'm so comfortable around you.  I won't do it again if you don't want me to."

Disappointment washed over Blaine as he heard the words that confirmed his former suspicions; though he didn't try to show any of it. Kurt didn't see him any different from his other friends and didn't reciprocate his own feelings. He sighed with a straight face and forced a smile on himself.

"It's okay. I didn't mind at all, I was just curious. We're really good friends and very comfortable around each other. It should be able to happen, right?"

Kurt just nodded and let out a faint laugh. For the first time since they'd met, an awkward silence erupted between them. Neither was looking at the other for a moment, but then it was Blaine who first spoke.

"I...ehm...I should go. Got a history test in the morning and stuff...I...eh...yeah."

"Oh...okay," Kurt pouted sadly. "Are...do....will...ehm. Tomorrow here again?"

"Of course," Blaine smiled, this time sincerely. "Text me when you can come online?"

"Will do."

Both boys cheered in their head that their budding friendship was still very much alive and said their goodbyes. Kurt was about to click the screen away when Blaine called out for him.

"Kurt wait!"

He looked up and saw how Blaine pressed his fingers against his lips and blew him a kiss. Kurt was stunned for a second, eyes popped out wide open. His mouth was about to do the same. But he managed to get a grip on himself and repeated the gesture to Blaine, who pretended to catch the kiss.

"Dork," Kurt muttered amused and logged off.

 

oOo

On Saturday, Mercedes and Kurt showed up at the Berry-Anderson residence early in the afternoon. Blaine wasn't there (he'd promised David to have extra practice for their upcoming soccer match) so that gave Rachel and Mercedes the perfect chance to hear Kurt out about his crush.

They knew he and Blaine spoke to each other online and texted (only they didn't know about the part where it happened daily). They also knew about Kurt and Blaine going out for coffee together, but Kurt had purposely left them in the dark about the shopping-trip that ended with that kiss. What he hadn't told them either was that since then, he and Blaine ended every single daily Skype chat by blowing kisses to each other and pretended to catch the other's kiss. The girls would have a field day if he did so.

But he absolutely couldn't deny to these girls how much he had fallen for Blaine. They just knew and for the first time Kurt had admitted out loud that he was in love with Blaine Berry-Anderson.

"Kurt, that is so great," Mercedes squealed. "I'm so happy for you."

"Yes, hopefully we'll become brother and sister in law now," Rachel cried out as she excitedly clapped her hands.

"Rach, we're going to be that anyway because at the rate you and Finn are going, you'll get married once you're out of college."

"That's true. However, you and Finn are only stepbrothers, whereas Blaine is my biological twin. You being with my brother would actually make it more official."

"Whatever you say, Rach. It's not going to happen. Blaine doesn't think of me more than a close friend. I'm like Wes and David, but gay,"

 

He told them about the kiss-conversation he and Blaine had. Somehow he skillfully managed to leave out the part where he had kissed Blaine. "He said clearly we're just friends - great friends. But from the way he was taking, I know he doesn't see me as more than that."

He pouted and let himself fall against Mercedes, who laid an arm around him.

“This sucks ‘Cedes,” he whispered.

“I know. I’ve kind of been there with you remember.”

They laughed together but Rachel sat confused next to them, pondering over her brother’s behavior and actions from the moment he and Kurt met.

“I don’t get it,” she said. “I know my brother. He likes you. He’s in love with you even. I can see it so obvious in him.”

“Yeah, he also said you often see things for more than they are. I quote ‘trait of a true drama queen’.”

“I resent that,” Rachel huffed. Kurt and Mercedes just gave each other a look, knowing very well Blaine was right, and ignored Rachel’s complaints against her brother. Kurt eventually hushed her and questioned Mercedes about her prospering relationship with Sam. Thanks to Blaine suddenly being a part of Kurt’s life, Sam had become a neglected topic. Mercedes had lot to tell so the first movie of their two-day Julie Andrews marathon did not go into the DVD-player for an hour or so.

 

oOo

 

Victor/Victoria and Star! had already passed and they were in the middle of the first Princess Diaries movie, when Blaine came home. He was exhausted, sweaty and smelly, but Kurt’s first thought was ‘superhot’. He greeted them all in general and ran up the stairs, leaving Kurt rather disappointed on the couch. Why’d Blaine suddenly tone their friendship down?

His worries were eased when Blaine came down fifteen minutes later after a refreshing shower. His hair was gel-free and curly again - the way Kurt loved it the most. It was cuter this way and much easier to play with. He wore a black tanktop - which completely exposed his muscled chest and arms - and a simple pair of grey sweatpants. He kissed Rachel on her forehead, Mercedes on the back of her hand like the first time they’d met, and gave Kurt the sweetest and cutest smile he possessed. Kurt felt a little dejected about the fact that he didn’t get at least a blow kiss, but remembered that his friends were there and that he didn’t want them to know about the level his and Blaine’s friendship was at just jet. So he was glad Blaine hadn’t given him any form of kiss.

Blaine however, right now completely captivated by the unearthly beautiful human being named Kurt Hummel, motioned to Kurt to follow him and casually walked off to the kitchen. Kurt entered shortly after him and the slightly taller boy didn’t hesitate a second when Blaine held his arms open for him, inviting him for a hug and some cuddling.

“I missed you,” Blaine sighed as he nuzzled his nose into Kurt’s soft hair and wrapped his arms around him. “I know we spoke last night, but having you with me in real life is so much better.”  
Kurt hummed in agreement. He let Blaine hold him for a while, took the opportunity to enjoy the strong arms around him and took deep whiffs of the delicious smell of Blaine’s shower gel. After a few minutes they released each other and Kurt let Blaine guide him to the kitchen-island and gladly accepted the drink he offered him.

They quietly sat next to each other, now and then taking a sip from their glass; stealing glances and smiles while letting their hands play with each other.

“Kurt! Bring your butt back in here!” Rachel yelled from afar, pulling the boys from the dream world they always drift to when they’re alone.

“The Queen calls,” Kurt grunted and grabbed his glass to head off to the living room again.

“Wait!” Blaine cried, hastily snatching his own glass of the counter with one hand and grabbing Kurt’s arm with the other. It caused Kurt to nearly spill the drink he was holding.

“Does our agreement still stand? I join you guys and you sit with me. I’d...ehm...I’d really like that right now. Rough training, you know.”

“No need for excuses,” Kurt chuckled amused. “You know it still stands.” When Blaine let out a relieved sigh, Kurt stepped forward and kissed him on his cheek; longer and more secure than the first time he’d done it. Blaine just wanted to wrap him in his arms and keep him close forever, but Kurt had let go already and was tugging him along to the living room. The girls gave him teasing grins at the sight of them holding hands, but were vastly ignored.

This time around, Blaine nestled himself in Kurt’s arms - which were surprisingly muscled. They seemed thinner in the outfits Kurt wore - and laid his head on Kurt’s shoulder. He tried to focus on the movie, he really did. But David’s training had been brutal and he was exhausted.

“Blaine?” the whisper was almost inaudible but just loud enough for Blaine to hear Kurt calling him. He saw Kurt gesturing to his lap and noticed he had placed a pillow there.

“Take a nap. It’s okay,” his crush mouthed. Blaine smiled, praising himself for falling in love with someone so caring. As soon as his head touched the pillow, a hand buried itself in his curls and played with them.

“Wake me up before The Sound of Music?” he yawned and after a reassuring nod from Kurt, Blaine drifted into a light sleep, dreaming about an alternative universe where he and Kurt were dating and Kurt played with his hair every day.

As promised, Kurt woke him up when Rachel had moved from the couch to set up the DVD form the sound of music. They curled up together under a blanket. This time Kurt had his head resting on Blaine’s chest, concentrating more on the beating of Blaine’s heart rather than on the movie.  
Pizzas were ordered and the two boys spent their time feeding slices to each other, whispering softly in the other’s ear, nuzzling necks, cuddling... The entire night they didn’t move a single inch from each other. One could easily mistake them for a couple madly in love.

They were, only they didn’t know it from each other. Because they were now under the impression that they were just being highly comfortable with one person with whom they could be completely themselves.

 

 

  
  


  


 

 

 

 

  


 

 

  


  
  


 


	7. Chapter 7

A month of daily Skype chats, frequent coffee dates and hours of being close during sleepovers passed. Blaine and Kurt grew closer each day and they certainly fell a bit more for the other every single day. One Wednesday, they met for coffee again and afterwards, instead of visiting the mall like they usually did after having a drink, Blaine took Kurt to Dalton to -finally- meet his friends.

It took all of them about ten seconds to see how in love these two were and couldn't believe the boys were so friendzoned into obliviousness. Though they certainly wanted to, Trent had warned everyone not to say a thing.

Kurt loved Dalton Academy. Not only were the school and dorms simply majestic looking, the boys here seemed to be from an entire different species than the ones from McKinley. Every single guy Blaine introduced him to was polite and eloquent, but didn't look down on him for attending a public school. What stood out to him the most, was that not one guy flinched away or acted awkwardly when he came close. Though guys in his Glee club had stopped doing that over time, the rest of the male population at McKinley still thought that being gay was a transmittable disease.

Not only did the Dalton boys not flinch away from him, they actually approached him; showing genuine interest in him. For once he felt like he was just one of the guys and it felt better than he'd expected.

Wes and David, who were both in the Dalton soccer squad with Blaine, had tried to explain the game to him – he understood it pretty quickly. They even invited him to come watch a match, even though it was more to get Kurt to come watch Blaine play and become hot for their striker rather than to watch the actual game.

Kurt, of course, accepted their offer. Who wouldn't voluntarily choose to see Blaine in a soccer outfit, sweating as he chased a ball? He imagined Blaine would score a goal and point proudly to Kurt while he celebrated with a team mate – something Finn, Mike and Sam always did with their respective girlfriends.

"Hey," Jeff said when he and Nick joined the three of them. "Blaine told us you were in the New Directions. We don't want to snoop into our rivals ("yes we do," Nick muttered) but we were just curious about your voice because your speaking voice is pretty high...no offence."

"None taken," Kurt replied. "I'm a countertenor. At least that is what Blaine's sister told me."

Wes whistled and David and Nick whispered excitedly to each other.

"Something wrong?" Kurt asked, frowning concerned.

"No, no, no," Jeff laughed. "It's just that we don't have any countertenors in the Warblers right now and they don't exactly walk in with the dozens either. We could do some interesting arrangements with a countertenor."

"Yes," David agreed. "Someone like you could give us so much variety. I bet your Glee club exploits you like crazy."

"As if," Kurt huffed. "Technically we don't have a lead, but Rachel usually is. And if she isn't, she'll complain till nobody can take it anymore. She's one of my best friends and I don't want to talk her down, but she can be a bit much. She's so good though."

"I'm glad we got the civil Anderson then," Wes chuckled. "Blaine always offers a pass on a lead but he's the best we've got. Talent runs in their family, I guess."

"It most certainly does," Kurt sighed.

Suddenly a body flopped itself on the couch right next to him. Kurt barely had anytime to register what was happening but na arm wrapped itself around his shoulder and he just knew this wasn't Blaine.

"I bet you are more talented than Anderson could ever be."

He took in the boy next to him. He was tall; taller than Blaine for sure. Probably even taller then he himself. He was handsome, Kurt wouldn't deny that but there was just something about this guy that put him off. Maybe it was the cocky smirk or the conceited attitude he transmitted. Kurt didn't need much to tell that this guy was full of himself.

"And you are?" he asked, with one eyebrow raised, picking up the arm that was draped around him and removed it.

"Sebastian. Sebastian Smythe," The boy answered, still smirking. He now laid his hands on Kurt's crossed legs and didn't blink an eye when Kurt wiped it away with an annoyed and uncomfortable look.

"Kurt, is it? I've heard your name going around for a while now. So I came to see what the hype is. What's up beautiful?"

"Thank you for the compliment, but I'd prefer it if you did not touch me," Kurt spat.

"Your wish is my command sweetheart."

Kurt didn't like this cocky bastard one bit. Right now he wanted to leave –despite the fact that Blaine's actual friends were so kind - but he was in a strange area and Blaine had left him under the watch of David and the others.

"Sebastian..." Nick hissed on a warning tone. The others didn't look very pleased with the new addition to their conversation and it looked to Kurt like neither of the boys actually liked Sebastian. Even Trent was glaring from across the room and Kurt had yet to see him not smile. Sebastian wasn't the slightest bit intimidated by them and gave his fellow Warblers a daring glare.

"What? It's a free world and he isn't tied to Anderson. So there's no harm if I have a little chat with him." He now turned to Kurt. "I do like to get to know you a bit better. What do you say sweetheart? Wanna go and mingle a bit."

Kurt huffed furiously. He'd never been approached this disrespectfully and this guy didn't seem to regret it one bit. He was one step away from giving this guy a good smack across the face. But somebody tapped him on the shoulder and prevented him from doing so.

"Harassment policy, remember?" Trent, who'd come closer, whispered in his ear and realized that if he'd slap Sebastian on Dalton ground, he could get in serious problems and Blaine probably as well. So he acted as the better man and stood up, giving Sebastian a cold glare before turning his back on him.

"Hey, hold up sweety. You can't get rid of me that fast." Sebastian had barely spoken and spun him back around, when out of nowhere, a body materialized between them. Nobody had really seen where he'd come from, but Blaine was now standing before Kurt and tucked him protectively behind his back.

"Stay the hell away from him," he snarled furiously at Sebastian. The low, angry tone in his voice sent shivers through Kurt's body and it kind of scared him. He'd seen Blaine angry before, when they were talking about his pre-Dalton past. Blaine simply couldn't not get mad when talking about his bullies; Kurt couldn't either. But this was unlike any way Kurt had ever seen him. Kurt had no clue who Sebastian Smythe was, but whatever he had done sure as hell pissed Blaine off.

Sebastian no longer had that cocky smirk on him. At the sight of Blaine, his eyes transmitted an icy glare and his entire body turned into attacking mode. The other boys knew a lot more about the relationship between these boys, because Wes and David instantly move to Blaine's side, while Nick and Jeff moved to Sebastian's. Kurt expected it was more to protect Blaine from getting hit by Sebastian, rather than the other way around.

"You can't tell me what to do, Anderson. He's not your property," Sebastian hissed viciously.

"No, but he's one of my best friends, and I will do everything in my power to keep him out of the hands of dirty bastards like you."

Despite the state of angst he was in, Kurt's heart swelled a bit because of Blaine calling him one of his best friends.

"Try to stop me," Sebastian spat back and Blaine lunged forward. Luckily the others were very alert and managed to hold Blaine back before his fist could connect with Sebastian's cheek. They knew it would lead to his expulsion, so Wes and David practically dragged Blaine out of the junior commons. Kurt stood frozen in his spot as he watched how his friend turned into a completely different person. This was far from the Blaine he's gotten to know.

Suddenly a hand grabbed him gently by the arm. "Come on," Trent said softly as he pulled him along. "Blaine needs you before he breaks down."

Kurt didn't quite understand what he meant but followed anyway. As the left, he could see from the corner of his eye how Nick and Jeff pushed Sebastian out of another entrance and started shouting at him. Sebastian flipped them off and disappeared into a corridor.

"What a jerk," Kurt unconsciously muttered.

"He is one," Trent laughed. "A big one too. Hardly anyone can actually stand him, but he's a decent singer and a very good dancer; so we can't reject him from the Warblers."

They'd reached the hallway were Blaine, Wes and Nick were seated on a settee – Blaine absolutely fuming.

"Go on," Trent gave Kurt a light push forwards, urging him to talk to Blaine. Kurt hesitated for a moment and shuffled closer, before kneeling in front of his friend. "Blaine?"

oOo

The soft whisper was really close and came simultaneously with the hand that was placed on his knee. Blaine looked up from the piece of floor that had his attention while Wes and David tried to reason with him. That gentle smile and the caring tone in those blue eyes he saw flipped a switch in his mind. There was just something about Kurt that drained all the anger from him. It was like being lost in a dark place and a bright light suddenly appearing to guide you out to safety.

"Blaine? Are you okay? Talk to me please?" He couldn't get words to pass his lips; still he nodded which seemed good enough for Kurt. A glass of water was passed on till it ended up with Kurt, who offered it to Blaine. He took a few big sips and put the half full glass next to him on the couch.

"I'm fine," Blaine croaked in a whisper. "I...ehm...yeah, I'm fine."

David stood up from the couch and motioned for Kurt to take his place. Kurt did and Blaine leaned towards him right away, resting his head on Kurt's shoulder.

"I'm sorry you had to see me like that. I usually don't get so angry, but that asshole just get's to me every time."

"I don't judge you, you know that," Kurt whispered with a sad smile and laid and arm across his friend. The Warblers surrounding them watched the two boys slowly slipping into a place of their own; a place where anyone but the two of them was too much. So by exchanging looks, it was decided to leave them alone for now.

"Why don't you two go do something? Get coffee in the cafeteria. Some fresh air will do you good, Blaine," Jeff said to Blaine, while patting him on the shoulder.

Kurt nodded approvingly. "That would be nice. Want to go?"

Blaine thought it over and decided that having coffee with Kurt for the second time today was not bad at all. Besides, he knew for a fact that Sebastian had fencing training in half an hour and would be leaving for it pretty soon. He and Kurt could walk around with him exploding again.

"Okay, let's go," he said, standing up and tugging Kurt on his feet. They greeted the other boys and Kurt promised to drop by before leaving.

When they were out of sight and hearing range, Nick groaned and facepalmed himself a few times.

"How are they not dating? Are they the only ones who don't see how they are looking at each other? Blaine constantly complains about how Kurt only sees them as just friends but Kurt practically melts every time Blaine pays the littlest bit of attention to him."

"I agree with crazy pants over here," Jeff announced. "Blaine's a big pile of obliviousness. Kurt's as well."

"Don't say anything to them though," Trent warned them again. "They need to figure things out on their own terms and pace."

The other Warblers muttered protests, but Trent wouldn't have any it. He ushered them back into the common room - silently laughing because of the dropping faces of his friends.

oOo

"Are you sure you're okay?" Kurt asked Blaine as they sat down in the cafeteria; both of them carried a cup of mocha in their hands.

"Yeah, I'm fine. It always takes a while for me to calm down after that bastard gets me angry. I hate it that he still gets to me so much as he does. I actually think he does these things on purpose, because he knows how angry I get. If it weren't for my friends I'd be expelled a long time ago."

Blaine bitterly took a sip from his drink. Suddenly he cried out curse words; the hot drink burnt his tongue a bit. He slammed the coffee cup down too fast and clumsy and ended up throwing the cup over. The hot content spilled rapidly over the table. Luckily he jumped up before the liquid could drip on his uniform.

He swore a whole lot more, making Kurt look up surprised. Who knew prep boy Blaine had such a sailor mouth. But it was so clear that Blaine's head was still messed up from the fight with Sebastian.

Several people were looking now how Blaine furiously tried to clean up the table; some shocked about the language coming out of the mouth of one of Dalton's politest students. Unlike Blaine, Kurt noticed all the attention he was attracting and decided it was better for Blaine if he went somewhere quieter. He took a few tissues out of Blaine's hand and helped him clean the table, before grabbing Blaine and his own coffee. They were right outside of the cafeteria when he pulled his friend into a tight, soothing hug. Surprisingly, Blaine let it all happen and buried his face in the crook of Kurt's neck while breathing heavily.

"Let's take a walk. We can share my coffee, if you like."

Blaine only nodded and took a sip from the cup Kurt held out to him.

"So, are you going to tell me why Sebastian makes you mad?" Kurt asked as they sauntered through the halls of Dalton's main building. They weren't exactly holding hands, but some of their fingers were hooked around each other and they were continuously passing the coffee between their free hands.

"Bad history," Blaine answered in a low grunt. "He hurt me bad and never apologized. Never showed an ounce of regrets. And he loves to rub his lack of regrets in my face whenever he can."

"But what did he do?"

"Ask Rachel."

"But-"

"Please Kurt," Blaine begged, giving the taller boy a pleading look. "I can't talk about him without snapping. When I told it all to Rachel, I broke a music box she got on our fifth birthday, out of anger. I'd rather not break anything in here. But you should ask Rachel. She knows everything. Tell her I said it's okay by me."

"I definitely will," Kurt hummed in agreement. He was very curious and thus a bit disappointed Blaine wouldn't tell him now, but he respected and liked Blaine way too much to press the matter further. Besides, Blaine seemed to be very thankful for it, and that was more important to him.

"So, what did you think about my friends?" Blaine asked in attempt to smoothly shift from topic. It worked, because a spark of joy lit up in Kurt's eyes.

"They're lovely. Really. They're so different from the boys in my Glee club. In a good way. I like them a lot and I get completely why you're friends with them. I'd want them to be my friends too if I went here. You're lucky."

"I like to think that too," Blaine smiled; because he was. He had the best friends in the world.

"Only that one guy was a bit weird...uhm, Nick, I think."

"What about Nick?

"I don't know. He said some stuff about us and some ship. And that ship having a cannon or being a cannon. It didn't make much sense."

Blaine blushed furiously. "That's normal with Nick. We try to ignore it really." He made a mental note to yell at Nick for saying those things to Kurt; he knew Kurt was just a friend.

It was forgotten right away, and the two chatted away like they did every day. The rain of compliments Kurt had for Blaine's friends didn't seem to stop, but it abruptly did.

"I'd wish you'd introduced me to Trent earlier. He knows his designers. It was so fulfilling to talk to someone who really does and-"

Kurt's voice stuck into nothing, making Blaine look up to him in surprise. "Kurt, what's wrong?"

But Kurt didn't hear him, because his eyes were following a very handsome guy, who walked past them and smiled charmingly at Kurt the entire time.

"Oh my god," Kurt breathed, turning red; his mouth was wide of astonishment. "Did you see that?"

"What?"

"That guy was totally checking me out. Like really checking me out; not the crap Sebastian pulled. That never happened to me before. It happened to pretty much all of my friends but never me. And now it has! And such a cute guy too! Oh my God!"

A big pang of jealousy shot through Blaine when Kurt looked back at guy who, Blaine knew, was a senior. He was jealous because Kurt had never reacted like that about him, and he wanted Kurt to so bad. With a deep grunt, he followed Kurt's adoring glance and found the guy staring back at them, smiling flirtatiously and waving at Kurt in a coyly matter. In an impulsive moment, he full on grabbed Kurt's hand and tugged the taller boy after him.

"Whoa Blaine, not so fast," Kurt panted. Blaine practically dragged him to the corridors and he had to run to keep up. They finally came to a halt before and empty classroom. Well, it was a room but the piano in the room reminded Kurt of the choir room at McKinley.

"This is where the Warblers always come together; either to practise or for meetings," Blaine confirmed. "Since we're an a cappella choir, we don't need a lot of instruments. Even the piano's more for the show."

"That's nice. But what is up with you, Blaine= I'm really worried about you right now."

Their eyes locked. Kurt's made Blaine feel guilty, because he really saw the worry, and Blaine's made Kurt sombre, because Blaine was clearly broken.

"I don't know. I really don't know," Blaine admitted, dropping his head and letting out a sob. "When Sebastian messes with my head, he does it good."

So this is what Trent meant with Blaine breaking down, Kurt thought. Blaine always looked so confident and composed to him; it was a bit shocking to see him so vulnerable in a situation in which they weren't talking about his past.

"C'mere." He motioned for Blaine to come closer and place his hands on each side of Blaine's face. With gentle strokes he wiped away the few tears rolling down Blaine's cheeks and kissed the shorter boy softly on his forehead. He couldn't help but savour the way Blaine leaned into his touch.

"You said the other day that classic music calms you down, right?"

"Yes why?"

Kurt led Blaine to the grand piano in the room and sat him down on the bench; Kurt scooted beside him. He trailed his fingers over the keys a few times before he finally started to play a song, which sounded very familiar to Blaine but he couldn't remember the title.

He stared admiringly at Kurt's fingers. He simply loved the way they graciously danced over the keys. Kurt's remedy worked though, because the soothing music slowly edged him towards serenity. It was exactly what he needed.

"Thank you so much. That was wonderful," he praised when Kurt finished the song. Kurt dramatically bowed and pretended to receive roses. He didn't need to fake getting a loud applause, because that he got from Blaine, who was very amused by his act.

"What's the name of that song? I've heard it before, but forgot what it's called."

"Comptine d'une autre été: L ápres midi by Yann Tiersen. A personal favourite. It's from the movie Amelié Poulain. Also a personal favourite."

A giggle escaped from Blaine's mouth and it made Kurt look up to him in surprise. Who knew Blaine could make such a noise.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Blaine, what's up?"

"Nothing! Really! It's just..."

"Yes?" Kurt whined impatiently.

"I like it when you speak French. You sound so genteel."

Kurt stared at his friend completely shocked and baffled.

"Merci beaucoup," he managed to mutter, not taking his eyes of Blaine.

"De rien," Blaine answered with a slight smirk. Kurt nudged him with his elbow and they broke out in laughter.

"I meant what I said to Sebastian. You are one of my best friends. I care about you so much and I won't let anybody hurt you. Especially not guys like Sebastian."

Kurt didn't know how to feel about this statement. He was happy of course; he also saw Blaine as one of his best friends. Over the pretty short period of time since they'd met, they had found a unique connection between them. Their friendship was unlike the ones he had with Rachel, Mercedes and Tina, but not any less; more special even. But it was a blow nonetheless that Blaine still saw him as nothing more than that.

Suddenly Blaine clasped his hand over his own, which was resting on his lap. So he composed himself and offered Blaine a forced but well-meant smiled.

"I know you won't because you always make me feel safe."

That reply triggered the brightest smile ever to appear on Blaine's face. He leaned over and placed the sweetest kiss on Kurt's cheek. Kurt felt tingly all over.

"Do you always kiss your best friends?"

"Only the ones who go out of their way to make sure I feel better. David gets kissed all the time."

Kurt burst out into loud laughter, throwing his head back with closed eyes in the process. To Blaine, Kurt had never looked more beautiful as when he laughed. Not to mention that his laugh was one of the cutest things he'd ever heard. He was glad he was sitting down because his knees went weak. He took the opportunity to cast Kurt a very smitten look and pulled a straight face right when Kurt's laughter faded, only to exchanges smiles with him right after.

"Will you play something else for me, please?"

"Only if you play something for me too. Rachel said you're quite good with pianos."

"Deal." Blaine gave Kurt's hand a little squeeze.

Kurt played him another one of his favourites – a piano cover of Adele's Someone Like You. Blaine then played him a cover of Beyonce's Halo and a favourite of his own, Canon In D by Pachelbel; a song Kurt instantly fell in love with.

"Can you teach me how to play it sometimes?" Kurt asked as soon as Blaine finished the final not.

"I'd love to," Blaine answered and scooted closer. This made them both smile nervously, but it didn't stop Blaine from wrapping an arm around Kurt's waist and laying his head on his shoulder. His nervous smile turned into a content one once he felt Kurt leaning his head against his own.

"Can you stay a bit longer? I don't want you to go yet."

Kurt's heart fluttered at the request. Luckily he could keep himself from squealing. Yes, he wanted to, but the voice of Blaine inside his head reminded him of the 'just best friends' part of their relationship.

"Need protection from evil Sebastian?" he joked.

"No," Blaine chuckled. "He needs protection from me. His face still has a pending date with me fist."

"None of that today, mister. And from now on Sebastian is taboo. You get upset when you talk about him and I don't like that."

"I like the taboo part."

"And I'd love to stay longer."

They smiled rather lovingly at each other and proceeded with a casual conversation. On their laps, their hands were entwining.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made a Tumblr-post with the songs mentioned in the story so you can hear for yourself what they should sound like. you can find that here: areweallforgotten.tumblr.com/post/23508965482/heres-the-list-of-links-to-the-songs-in-lovestruck


	8. Chapter 8

Shortly after their conversation in the Warbler choir room, two other Warblers had come in, claiming they needed the piano for practise. So Blaine took Kurt on a tour through Dalton Academy. He showed him everything from the main building, to the sports fields, a special hall where several indoor extracurricular activities were held - purposely avoiding the fencing hall where Sebastian was supposed to be - and the ballroom, which impressed Kurt the most. Afterwards, Blaine brought him back to the dorms.  
All the while, their hands were and stayed entwined and the situation hadn’t changed when they stepped back into the junior common room. Nick was the first one to notice their hands and let out a loud, surprised gasp; rousing all the other boys to focus on the two and now more boys got hopeful glances. But Blaine frowned and shook his head at Nick, and he and at least half of the common room let out a frustrated groan.   
They’d sat down on the couch together, practically attached to the hip, and mingled with Blaine’s friends. Later on, all of them including Kurt, went to have dinner in the cafeteria and afterwards Blaine took Kurt to his dorm room. Initially, it was just to show it to him and play him some guitar; somehow they ended up lying on Blaine’s bed. Facing each other, covered in smiles, they softly talked about the day they had before their meeting and also all the piano and guitar pieces that had occurred. Considering the fact that they literally spoke to each other every day, they needn’t discuss anything that happened in past days. Unfortunately, every day came to an end and so did this one. They couldn’t avoid saying goodbye much longer.  
Blaine walked Kurt back to his car, after Kurt had greeted all the other Warblers and told them how much he had loved meeting all of them. He was still holding hands with the slightly taller boy and clearly didn’t want him to go. Judging the look on Kurt’s face, he didn’t want to leave either.   
Right now, Kurt’d give anything to stay with Blaine, to cuddle with him till deep in the night. But he promised his father to be home by 9.45pm. Burt already showed that he trusted him by allowing him to stay longer. He didn’t want to betray that trust by coming home too late. The fact that his father thought that he was currently at Mercedes’ should be overlooked in that trust matter.  
“I loved having you here,” Blaine smiled when they reached the parking lot, “We should do this soon again.”  
“I’d love that a lot,” Kurt replied as he slightly swayed their laced hands back and forth. He already saw his Navigator and was bumped they had reached it so soon.  
“Will I see you at my house again this Friday?” Blaine asked hopefully.  
“Sadly, no. Mercedes’ mom kept asking her why we always go to your or my house, so she begged us to have the sleepover at her house for a change.”  
Kurt wasn’t mad at Mercedes or her mother. He knew both girls rather have the sleepovers at Rachel’s so he could bond with Blaine, but it was only fair they went to Mercedes too. Besides, he’d been there many times before; it was never dull at the Jones’.  
“Oh...yeah, uhm....I understand,” Blaine sighed rejected. “I’m sorry....I...I just...really like to hang out...with you.”  
“Don’t apologize,” Kurt reasoned. “We can go for coffee again next week.”  
“Of course.”  
“And after that, I’d like you to come home with me and meet my parents. If you want to that is.”  
“Eh, sure,” Blaine answered completely baffled, though a little bit confused.”  
“It’s just...my dad cares so much about me and he’s noticed that I’m a whole lot more lively lately; more good-spirited or something and genuinely happier. And he asked me if it was because of you. You know my brother told them about you and I explained to them who you are and how I’ve been able to talk to you about things I couldn’t with anybody else. Anyway, I’ve told my parents how talking to you made me feel better about myself and I’ve been a lot more positive about a lot of things since I’ve met you. They’re just very happy about that and now they like to meet you.”  
“Oh, well in that case, I’d be glad to meet them.”  
The uttermost charming smile coming from Blaine made Kurt’s knees tremble a bit. The way his body still seemed to malfunction every time Blaine made such gestures started to get rather annoying. Yet that feeling of being in love was becoming hauntingly addictive.   
“Also,” Blaine continued. “I’m superflattered that I’ve been able to mean so much to you and I want you to know that you helped me just as much. And I definitely feel so much better ever since we’ve started to hang out. My dads said so. Rachel, my friends...” He took Kurt’s other hand too and held gently on to both. “You’re really wonderful, Kurt.”  
Kurt let out a small, soft, emotional sob and saw that Blaine’s honey coloured eyes – like his own – were tearing up.  
“We really are best friends, huh?” he giggled, making Blaine laugh a little as well.  
“Yes, we totally are.”   
From one moment to other, they were in each other’s arms, hugging and clutching the other tightly. Somehow, they both just really needed it. Blaine deeply sighed into Kurt’s shoulder before slowly pulling away from him. His heart leaped a bit when his eyes met Kurt’s baby blue’s and then drifted lower to those luscious pink lips. Everything in him wanted to kiss them so badly. But they had just refined the friendship stamp hovering over them. Of course friends could fall in love with each other but he still doubted Kurt felt anything beyond that friendship level. Just the way Kurt talked about him said more mentor slash best friend, rather than potential boyfriend material.

“What are you thinking about?” Kurt whispered as he properly straightened the lapel of Blaine’s blazer.  
“Huh?”  
“What are you thinking about?” Kurt repeated. “It looks like you’ve got a lot on your mind.”  
“Oh,” Blaine simply sighed. “It’s nothing really. I’m just very grateful to have you as a friend.”  
“Oh okay,” Kurt said, hoping Blaine didn’t catch the tone of disappointment in his voice. In his head he’d pictured this scenario in which Blaine declared he was in love with his new best friend, because he was so sure Blaine had been staring at his lips again; much like last week when they were at the mall. But then the guy just had to go and rub the whole friendship thing in his face again. He needed to learn that no matter how much he was in love with Blaine, he’d be nothing more than one of Blaine’s best friends.   
“Something wrong?” Blaine asked, reversing the role of the concerned one. He laid a hand on Kurt’s shoulder. The touch made them both squirm on the inside.  
“Nothing,” Kurt squeaked. “I’m fine.”  
Blaine didn’t quite believe him but he let it go for now. He didn’t drop the hand that still rested on Kurt’s shoulder. On the contrary, he moved it up till it gently cupped Kurt’s cheek. Something in him wanted to tell Kurt the truth about his feelings right now. It just felt so right; especially after Kurt ran his own hand over Blaine’s arm and stopped to close it over his wrist to make sure Blaine’s hand stayed a bit longer there. He stepped a bit closer and wrapped his free hand around Kurt’s waist.  
“Blaine...” Kurt whimpered with a trembling voice.  
“Kurt...I...ehm...”Blaine started softly. He hovered a little towards Kurt. The plan now was just to go with a kiss and see where it would take them from there.

“Hey Blaine!” A voice very familiar to Blaine yelled across the parking lot. No, not now. Any time but now, he thought. He and Kurt both looked up at the same time, and saw a guy from their age, in the same Dalton outfit as Blaine’s, waving from afar.  
“We have extra soccer practise after glee club tomorrow to prepare for our next match. Can you pass it on to David and the others? I have an AV club meeting right now so I can’t do it myself.”  
“Sure El,” Blaine grunted annoyed while sticking his thumb up to the boy.  
“Thanks bro,” the boy yelled back and ran off after waving again.  
“That’s my roommate, Elliot,” Blaine explained to Kurt with a grimace. “He has the worst timing a person could have. Lord knows how many times he walked into people having a private moment. He’s a nice guy though. You should meet him next time you come here.”  
“That’d be nice, Blaine. But you were trying to tell me something before he interrupted,” Kurt said with a smirk. The whole Elliot thing rather amused him, to be honest, but he was so curious to what Blaine had to say.  
“Yes, I...”  
Before Blaine even could form a proper sentence, the big clock tower in front of the main building started gonging, announcing it was 8pm.  
“Oh damn, I need to go,” Kurt cried out. “If I don’t leave now, I won’t make it back in time for my curfew and my dad won’t let me go anywhere for a week.”  
“Oh,” Blaine sighed saddened and Kurt caught it.  
“I’m so sorry Blaine. I really wish I could stay longer. Can’t you tell me later over Skype or phone later?”  
Blaine shook his head and let Kurt go – he was still holding on to Kurt’s slim waist. “I’d really rather tell you in person. Maybe next week over coffee? They both settled for it and gave each other a quick peck on the cheek before Kurt hopped into his Navigator and sped off the premises.   
Blaine sadly watched how the love of his life left and concluded that Kurt never actually would be the love of his life, because the little bit of courage he had, just left with him.

oOo

All angry with his cowardly self, Elliot’s horrible timing and Kurt’s curfew, Blaine sauntered back to the junior commons. All of his friends were there and their endless chatting sure would distract his mind from the love misery he was in. When he entered the room, several voices greeted him. He ignored them and just let himself fall on the couch; on the same spot where he, on one point, had sat with Kurt on his lap. His heart beat faster just at the thought of it.  
The spot next to him dipped in by the weight of someone; we he looked, he saw Trent smiling at him.  
“He’s adorable, Blaine,” Trent said softly as he patted Blaine on the shoulder. “I totally get what you see in him.”  
Blaine shot him a look that was a mix of fear – what if Trent wanted Kurt too, like Sebastian had – and viciousness – I saw Kurt first, don’t make me rip your head off. Trent right away held his hands up in defence.  
“I don’t like him like that. I have a boyfriend remember. Plus, Kurt isn’t my type. I’m just saying that I get why you’re into him. He’s a good mix of hot, cute, sweet and endearing and that sharp tongue of him is hilarious. You couldn’t have fallen in love with anyone more perfect for you. You deserve someone like him.”  
“I’m sorry and thank you. He really is perfect, isn’t he? But I’m still not sure he loves me back.”  
Nick and Jeff, who’d joined them together with Wes and David, were starting to shout at him for being absolutely insane; one glare from Trent made them quiver away. Blaine chuckled and then moved so he could place his head on David’s shoulder.  
“It’s nice that you guys think otherwise, but when we were in the main building earlier, Devon – that guy who leads the yearbook committee – was flirting with Kurt and he was so crazy about it. He kept gushing about how cute Devon was. He wouldn’t have done that if he was in love with me, would he?”  
“To be honest,” Trent stated. “If I was constantly in an environment where not a single guy showed an inch of interest in me, I’d be all flustered too if some good looking guy checked me out. I guess he was so excited that he forgot you were there.”  
“That really makes me feel better, Trent,” Blaine grunted sarcastically.  
“What Trent tries to say is, it’s the first time he experienced that. You never blatantly checked him out, so it’s different with you. It was just overwhelming for him.”  
“But I was right there,” Blaine whaled. “He wouldn’t have done that if he liked me back.”  
“Or maybe he does, but you’ve never clearly hinted you’re in love with him,” David replied. “Maybe you’re not getting his signs and he’s just like you too scared to just come forward with his feelings. If that flirting happened more often to him, he’d have ignored it. But it was his first time..."  
All the boys nodded and Blaine kind of got where they were coming from. It didn’t mean that it hurt or sucked any less. There were a lot of days in which he wished he was more like Devon, to just bluntly let a guy know that he liked him.  
“I almost let Kurt know,” he said softly. “That I’m in love with him I mean.”  
All the boys in the room gasped, which made Blaine chuckle a bit. Sometimes he forgot how many guys were interested in his soap opera life.  
“I was going to tell him. Then I couldn’t and was just going to kiss him. I was that close.”  
“Well, why didn’t you!” Nick all but yelled. “My ship, Blaine! My ship! What happened?”  
“Cockblock Elliott happened.”All the boys winced. “Then he saw the time and ran off so he would be home on time. He doesn’t like betraying his father’s trust. I promised him that I’d tell him when I see him again, but that moment was actually a rare moment of an insane amount of courage and it’s all gone now.”  
All the Warblers looked at him in a mix of pity and care. They all knew how miserable Blaine was when he came to Dalton; scarred deeply from middle school. They’d witnessed firsthand how Sebastian fuelled that misery and then spent two years at Blaine’s side, listening to him whining about being alone and wanting what he saw in romantic movies. They’d seen him crush on a few Dalton guys without success, and now the guy was really in love and they were all sure it was being reciprocated, and Blaine didn’t have the guts to admit his true feelings.  
“Ugh, I’m going to be alone forever,” Blaine groaned, as he jumped up and dragged himself out of the common room.  
“Where are you going?” Wes yelled after him.  
“Bed!”   
“But it isn’t even 8.30pm yet!”   
“Don’t care!” Blaine stomped off, ignoring all the guys calling him back.  
“Just let him be,” David finally decided. “He’s not going to sleep. He’s either going to do his homework, stare at his picture of Kurt forever, or both. Just let him be for an hour or so. We’ll drag him out later and force him to watch Doctor Who with us.”   
The rest of the boys agreed and went on with their business while Nick moped around about his real life ship.

oOo

The next morning in the crowding halls of McKinley High, Rachel tried to make her way through the sea of students. Lunch break had just started and she was trying to find at least one of her friends - which wasn’t easy considering how small she was – while trying to avoid football players with slushie cups. She had almost reached the cafeteria when a taller figure bumped into her.  
“Kurt!” she cried when she saw who the other person was. “I was just looking for you and the others.”   
“And I was about to call you to ask you where you were,” Kurt replied and flashed her his phone as prove.  
“Aren’t we going to the cafeteria?” Rachel asked confused. Kurt had started to pull her towards the school yard.  
“No I have to ask you something private.” He paused a few seconds before adding, “About Blaine.”   
That caught Rachel’s attention and she willingly followed Kurt outside, after texting Finn she wouldn’t meet him for lunch.  
“Hey guys, wait up!” They could hear Mercedes call for them and waited ‘till she caught up with them. “Where are you guys going?”  
“Kurt wanted to ask me something private about Blaine.”   
“Oh,” Mercedes said softly. “Do you want me to leave then? I wouldn’t mind.”  
“Oh don’t be ridiculous. Blaine knows who you are and he likes you. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind if you knew too.” Rachel linked arms with the both of them and in an air of happy clattering; they walked to the school yard. It didn’t take them long to find an empty table. As soon as they sat down, Rachel jumped right on the topic.  
“So what’s up with my dearest twin brother? If this is about him being in love with you: I’m still convinced he is, even though he denies it.”   
“No, no, no. It isn’t about that,” Kurt replied. He warily looked around before leaning closer to the girls and whispering, “It’s about Sebastian.”  
Rachel’s face dropped instantly while Mercedes showed confusion.  
“How do you know about Sebastian?” Rachel hissed. She was clearly pissed off and it made Kurt even more curious to what the boy had done to Blaine.   
“Ehm, Blaine told me about him,” he lied.  
“No he didn’t,” Rachel snapped back. “Blaine doesn’t mention or talk about Sebastian.”  
“But-“   
“Ever!”   
“Wait! Who is this Sebastian you’re talking about?” Mercedes came between the two. The confusion on her face was more evident than before.  
“An asshole who took advantage of my brother and incredibly hurt him.”   
“What is it? Please tell me, Rach. Blaine won’t but he said it was okay by him if I asked you,” Kurt pleaded. Mercedes nodded in along now that her confusion had made place for curiosity. Rachel believed Kurt this time and braced herself to tell the story she’d rather not speak off.  
“When Blaine went to Dalton as a freshman, Sebastian was a sophomore. He thought Blaine was hot, so he started hitting on him. Blaine just came from a highly homophobic area, so it was new and exciting for him to suddenly have a guy want him and he fell in love with Sebastian rather quickly. Sebastian apparently figured that out and took advantage of it. He lured Blaine in easily and they started dating.  
“Blaine was so in love that he was willing to do anything for Sebastian, but was too blind to see that Sebastian didn’t do anything in return. He and I even fought over Sebastian after I told him he was no good. Blaine told me I was jealous because he had a boyfriend and I didn’t - it was before Finn and I dated the first time. But pretty soon in their relationship, approximately after two or three weeks, Sebastian wanted to go all the way and Blaine wasn’t ready for that all. Sebastian broke up with him right there and then. No remorse, not a pinch of guilt and brother was left heartbroken.”  
“Oh wow,” Kurt gasped, his face struck with pure shock. He’d never guess Blaine went through all of that.   
“Poor Blaine,” Mercedes whispered while disapprovingly shaking her head.  
“The worst thing is,” Rachel continued. “Is that a few days after the break up when Blaine went to ask for an explanation and said he thought Sebastian loved him back, Sebastian laughed right in his face and told him he just wanted to get in his pants but wasn’t worth the effort. That he wasn’t going to waste any of his time on some prude.   
“That was already bad but then last year, when Blaine was a sophomore; he got a big crush on a guy who was a senior, Jeremiah. They went on a few dates but Sebastian interfered and stole Jeremiah right from under Blaine’s nose. I think those two ‘dated’ until Jeremiah graduated and moved out of the state. Blaine was so hurt again, and fed up with Sebastian, that he literally fought with him. Not in school of course – he’d be expelled – but he fought him and packed a few good punches and ever since those two are ticking time bombs around each other.”  
Kurt stared silently at Rachel, letting her words sink in. He understood Blaine now and all the boy’s actions from the day before fell into place. He felt relieved that Blaine had saved him from Sebastian. Not that he would’ve gone along with Sebastian after the way he had spoken to him, but knowing Blaine was so persistent on protecting him from guys like Sebastian made him fall for the boy even harder; he didn’t think that was even possible.   
“Kurt, the truth please. How do you know about Sebastian?” Rachel asked, sounding slightly concerned. Kurt understood exactly why. She was worried that Blaine had gotten in another altercation with Sebastian – which technically was true.   
“I...ehm...he tried to hit on me.”  
“Who? Blaine?” Mercedes asked, again confused.  
“No, Sebastian. I...I was at Dalton yesterday. And he tried to hit on me. Blaine came between us and he and Sebastian almost fought. They would’ve if it wasn’t for Blaine’s friends.”  
“You were at Dalton? Kurt, are you and Blaine dating?” Mercedes said with her usual sassy attitude. “Because if you are, I’m going to be so mad that you didn’t tell us.”  
Rachel nodded along. “I’ll kill my brother for not telling me either.”  
Kurt just looked at them as if they both were insane. “We’re not dating. Please, did you think I’d be able to keep it from either of you if that was the case? He just wanted me to meet his friends and they wanted to meet me as well. You know I’m tutoring some of them in French. We just hung out all day.” Then he added on a sad and droopy tone. “Absolutely nothing happened. I’m starting to give up hope really.”  
Both girls grabbed one of his hands and shared their thoughts of sympathy with him.  
“How was Blaine though,” Rachel asked after a while. Like no other she knew how Blaine could get when Sebastian got involved in anything.  
“Raging,” Kurt answered while recalling the previous day’s events. “Flat out furious at first; then just angry and he ended shaken up and broken down. But we talked a lot. Like a lot. It helped and he seemed fine later.”  
Rachel faintly nodded. She was all too familiar with that situation. It was also an indication to how much her brother cared for Kurt. She knew Blaine did all he could to avoid Sebastian in school; afraid that he would explode and end up getting suspended or even expelled. Just the fact that he was willing to do that to protect Kurt...it wasn’t just care; it was love. Now more than ever she was convinced that Blaine was in love with her best friend.  
“Rach?”Kurt suddenly said, dragging her out of her thoughts. “I said I was going to try to call Blaine. If I’m correct he should have lunch now too. Are you coming or are you staying here with ‘Cedes?”  
“I’ll stay here. Blaine and I have our weekly catch-up call tonight anyway. I’ll interrogate him then.”  
Kurt left. As soon as he was out of sight, Rachel turned to Mercedes. “OhmyGodmybrotherissoinlovewithKurt.”  
“Wow lady, take a breath,” Mercedes laughed, while Rachel bounced enthusiastically on her seat. “I thought they both said you saw it wrong?”  
“They say so but Blaine’s lying and Kurt has low confidence when it comes to my brother. It’s frustrating to watch.”  
“Tell me about it,” Mercedes sighed while rolling her eyes. “I swear, if those two get together, I’d be happier than when Sam asked me to be his girlfriend.”  
“I know,” Rachel exclaimed as they picked up their belongings and strolled back to the school building. “I am more excited now than that time when Finn swore he was going to win me back from Jesse. I just...Kurt makes Blaine so happy. I see it in him when he’s home. I hear it in his voice when we’re on the phone and it’s most evident when they are around each other. Same goes for Kurt.”  
“You can’t help but to root for them,” Mercedes finished.  
Rachel nodded. “Just look at him ‘Cedes,” she said pointing to a spot across the yard where Kurt was leaning against a wall. “Look at that smile. Since the day I met him I’ve never seen him smiling that big or glowing that bright, and he only looks like that when he talks to Blaine.”  
Mercedes hummed in agreement and the two girls discussed the several changes about Kurt’s life since Blaine walked into to it, until the bell rang and they were forced to separate for classes. Rachel walked into her History class to find Finn saving her a spot next to him. After she kissed him and started to explain where she had been, her phone beeped Blaine’s text-ringtone.

Blaine  
Thank you for telling Kurt about Mr. Asshole. He was so sweet and understanding about it. Didn’t judge me one bit. Rach, why is he so perfect?  
Rachel  
You’re welcome. You do realize you just confessed to having a crush on/being in love with him?  
Blaine  
I plead the fifth  
Rachel  
Like that makes it any less clear  
Blaine  
Does he like/have a crush on me or even in love with me?  
Rachel  
He pleads the fifth  
Blaine  
I hate you  
Rachel  
Love you too. Now pay attention in class!


	9. Chapter 9

As Kurt had announced before, the now standard weekly girls-and-Kurt sleepover didn’t take place at Berry-Anderson’s. The lack of Kurt at his house made Blaine look out to Wednesday more than ever. It was now a whole week since he had seen Kurt in person and his whole body was aching to hold the boy again. He was looking forward to their meeting so much, that he arrived at the Lima Bean fifteen minutes too early and ended up waiting in the parking lot for Kurt’s iconic Navigator.  
When it was about ten minutes past their meeting time, Blaine got slightly worried. Kurt was somebody who was always strictly and perfectly on time. It was just one of his noteworthy traits. He figured something must’ve slowed Kurt down in traffic. What were ten minutes really? But when the waiting time hit twenty minutes he got really concerned and by the time it was thirty minutes and Kurt’s Navigator finally rolled onto the parking lot, he was an anxious wreck.  
He only got more worried when Kurt got out of the car, looking severely down. The boy was obviously very mentally distracted, as he bumped into the first person to cross him. Kurt was so in his own world, that he didn’t notice Blaine at all; so Blaine called out to him instead. Kurt’s tear-streaked face popped up as soon as he registered who called him. He started running and didn’t stop until his body collided with Blaine’s, throwing his arms around Blaine’s neck in the process. Blaine got a little bit of air knocked out of him during the impact, which also threw him back a bit, but he didn’t hesitate one second to wrap his arms around Kurt’s trembling frame.  
“Kurt? What’s wrong?” He tried to pull back a bit so he could see his friend’s face, but Kurt wouldn’t move an inch from where he was wrapped in Blaine’s arms and even pressed in closer, burying his face in Blaine’s neck.  
“Kurt, please talk to me,” Blaine said softly, while rubbing Kurt’s back.  
“The jocks,” Kurt mumbled with a sob. He finally let Blaine go so he could talk easier and Blaine’s heart broke at the sight of his red puffy eyes and dried tear trails.  
“They lured me to my locker after gym class. One of them took my hairspray out of my bag earlier, so I thought I forgot or lost it. I went to my locker to get the spare I always keep there and they waited for me there. Seven of them, all with a slushie in their hands.”  
“Oh no,” Blaine gasped horrified. He heard numerous stories about McKinley from Rachel and he knew exactly what they did with slushies there.  
“Yeah,” Kurt sniffed. “They threw them all on me. I was completely soaked. It was so painful and humiliating despite the fact that the hall was as good as empty. Worst thing is that they completely ruined my shirt.”  
“Kurt! You cannot possible put the state of your shirt above your personal wellbeing!” Blaine exclaimed. He took Kurt to a bench right outside of the café and pulled him close with his arms tightly coiled around Kurt’s small waist.  
“I usually wouldn’t. It’s just that I got this shirt from my dad for Christmas. It was gorgeous and the special thing is that he picked it out all by himself. He was so proud when he found out how much I loved it. You should’ve seen him glowing when he saw me wearing it this morning. It’s just the fact that my dad put so much effort in something that interests me so much and that he did such an impeccable job at it, which made the shirt so special to me. And now it’s ruined.  
“I can’t tell him. It’ll disappoint and hurt him. Not to mention that he’ll get so mad; which isn’t good for his health. He’ll probably lash out at Finn for not protecting me, while Finn couldn’t possibly have known about the assault.”  
The distress of his father’s health and the possible effects for his brother nudged Kurt over the edge and he started sobbing again before he went to full on crying.  
“I’ve had enough, Blaine. I want it to stop.”  
Powerless; that was how Blaine felt. Completely and utterly powerless. He didn’t know what to say or do besides holding him tighter. After all, the only way Blaine knew how to make these things to stop was by running to a place with zero tolerance on bullying.

“Maybe I should go back to playing straight,” Kurt scoffed sarcastically, forcefully whipping the tears from his face. “Maybe I should just store all my eccentric clothing and accessories and get a girlfriend. Maybe laying low will keep those bullies off my back or at least on a normal Glee loser level until I graduate.”  
“Don’t you dare!” Blaine scolded angrily. Kurt scurried away a little whilst looking at Blaine with big, scared doe-eyes. Blaine shrugged it off and took Kurt’s hands in his, offering him a sympathetic and comforting smile.   
“I know it horribly sucks. But in little over a year and a half you’re out of here. It’s no question we’re going to New York. You’re going to do great things there. You’re going to achieve great things and you’re going to be the next great thing.  
“Those jocks…one or two of them are going to play college football out of state. Another few of them need to be lucky enough to get a scholarship to play for the Buckeyes. The rest of them are going to be stuck in this God-awful town forever. And one day, they’re going to come home from their shitty job, crash on the couch and watch TV. They’ll flip through the channels until they see the live broadcast of the Tony Awards and they’ll see how you accept yours and prove how you’ll forever be better than them.”  
Kurt smiled faintly, but instead of looking at Blaine, he looked at their combined hands. It left Blaine with the feeling that Kurt didn’t really believe him. He was determined to do so. So he cupped Kurt’s cheek and carefully shifted his face towards him and looked deep into Kurt’s pale-blue coloured eyes.  
“You know that I know what it’s like to be in your position, so I’m not just saying things. And I know a year and a half is a long time, but you are going to leave and be fabulous in NYC. But if you’re going to hide who you really are; if you are going to stop being yourself and stop with the things that make you Kurt, you’ll never get there. Because then you’re not you. You need to be you.”  
Kurt kept looking at him without making a single sound. Those eyes just only got wetter and finally those lips broke out in an honest grins.  
“T-t-thank you,” he whispered. “I guess I really needed to hear that.”  
“Well, it’s true,” Blaine said highly confident. “Besides running back into the closet isn’t going to stop those guys. If you ever feel like you can’t take it, come to me. I know you have your friends in your Glee club but Wes, David, Nick, Jeff and Trent all adore you. They’re all there for you too. They’ve dealt with me and my problems, so they know quite well how to be there for you.”  
Blaine shifted his hand from where it was still cupping Kurt’s cheek and used it to bring Kurt closer so he could press their foreheads together. “I’ll always be there for you.”  
He leaned in and kissed Kurt’s cheek dangerously close to his lips but he wasn’t going to go there, because Kurt needed a friend, not a lovestruck boy.  
“Consider that a mutual promise,” Kurt said with a muffled voice as he leaned in for a hug and buried his face in Blaine’s shoulder. For a few minutes Kurt let Blaine hold him. Blaine on his turn was pleasantly surprised to see a hint of optimism in Kurt’s eyes when they let go of each other. He brought his hand back up to the other boy’s cheek and brushed the remaining tears away.  
“I’ve just decided that I really hate it to see you cry,” he whispered teasingly. The fact that Kurt now flat out laughed and cuddled back up to him in the process, made his heart flutter and his stomach flip from the wonderful sound.

oOo

“Come on, let’s go inside. It’s getting pretty chilly out here.”  
Blaine got up and pulled Kurt on his feet. He gently placed a hand on his lower back and led him to the door. “Coffee is on me.”  
Despite the fact that Kurt heavily protested, Blaine send him off to occupy their favourite table. When Kurt realized Blaine really wasn’t going to have it any other way, he sighed and caved in.  
“Okay, I’ll have a -“  
“Grande non-fat mocha.”  
Kurt raised an eyebrow and moved on to being very impressed.  
“You know my coffee order?”  
“Of course I do,” Blaine scolded, feigning to be hurt and offended. Kurt didn’t fell for it and giggled softly as he walked away. He never noticed the longing stare Blaine burned into his back. With a smitten sigh Blaine went to the register, where the barista was already awaiting him with a smile. He gave her their orders, paid and went to the end of the counter to wait for their drinks. Another barista ended up making them for him and gave them to him together with a muffin.  
“I didn’t order that,” he said, pointing to the little cake.  
“Oh I know,” the barista smiled. “It’s on us so you can share it with your boyfriend. We could see from here that something was going on with him when you were still outside. You two are always so lovely together. Ohio really hasn’t got enough gay couples.”  
“Oh,” Blaine mumbled softly. “He isn’t my boyfriend. We are both gay, but we’re only best friends.”  
The barista’s face fell for a split second, but she pulled out a smile again in no time.  
“Well, then you are a wonderful best friend. Take the muffin anyway. And you should consider telling him you love him.”  
“Okay , I…wait what?”  
“I can see such things in people’s eyes and it’s written all over your face, sweetheart.”  
Blaine blushed, nodded shyly and thanked her for the muffin. When he turned around to search for Kurt, he could hear the barista cry out to her colleague.  
“Violet, they’re not dating!”  
“No freaking way that’s true.”  
Blaine chuckled and went back to searching for Kurt, who’d exchanged their usual table in the middle of the café for a more quiet space in the back. Sitting in a slump position and wearing the most sombre expression Blaine had ever seen, Kurt waited there without taking his eyes from the table in front of him. It wasn’t until Blaine placed his coffee and the muffin in front of him that it seemed that a little bit of life crept back into him.  
“You got me a muffin?”  
“I got it from the barista’s. The one who gave me it said it was for us to share but I’m giving it you. To cheer you up.”  
Kurt gave him a grateful look, but broke the muffin in two anyway. Then he took one of the pieces and held it in front of Blaine’s mouth so he could take a bite.  
“Why’d they give it to us? Not that I don’t appreciate it.”  
“They saw us outside. They saw you…” Blaine left out the part where the barista’s thought they were dating. He did not want to add awkwardness to Kurt’s misery.  
“That’s so sweet of them,” Kurt smiled. “And it’s sweet of you to get me coffee. But next time, coffee is on me. As a thank you.”  
“Deal,” Blaine laughed. He then reached over the table and took Kurt’s hand in his own.  
“Are you okay, Kurt? You’re so awfully quiet.”  
“Yes,” Kurt sighed. If this was anyone but Blaine, he’d probably have rolled his eyes; but with Blaine he couldn’t. The way Blaine cared was just too endearing.  
“Me being like this happened many times before, you know. It’s not the first time the jocks got me on the edge. Usually if my parents are home, I go to this special spot. If they’re not home, I go home and lock myself in my room. In both cases I eventually end up crying myself to sleep and stay miserable for days. Now, with you giving me that pep talk, the coffee and the muffin and you just being here looking after me…Blaine, I feel so much better. Yes, It’s still bothering me lots and it will for a while, but this me doing much better. Really…”  
Blaine let out a relieved breath while stroking his thumb over Kurt’s slender fingers.  
“I’m sorry. I just-”  
“Don’t you dare apologize Blaine Berry-Anderson.,” Kurt mocked with a smirk and that’s when Blaine really realized that Kurt was indeed doing well again. He playfully pouted at Kurt and sweetly grinned.  
“I won’t then.”  
The two boys snickered before feeding each other the last pieces of muffin.  
“Hey Kurt? You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, but what is that special spot you mentioned?”  
Kurt stared at him intently, ponding whether or not to share it. The he got a bright idea. He quickly started to gather all his belongings, leaving Blaine utterly clueless and confused.  
“Kurt?”  
“Pack your things and come with me.”  
Doing as he was told, Blaine grabbed his bag, coat and half-emptied coffee cup and chased Kurt – who waved friendly to the barista’s and mouthed a thank you to them – out of the Lima Bean.  
“Kurt! Wait up! What’s going on?”  
When they reached Kurt’s Navigator, Kurt finally stopped and addressed him.  
“Did you come here with your own car?”  
“No. Nick dropped me off and is picking me up later at your place. Why?”  
“Hop in then.”  
Blaine did as he was told without question, but his confused state of mind didn’t leave once. Kurt drove them away, humming and singing softly to the music from Birdy coming out of the radio. All the while he ignored the quizzical looks coming from Blaine and answered questions only with a secretive smirk. Blaine eventually gave up and just sang along with the music.

oOo

 

After less than a half hour driving, they stopped at a parking lot. Blaine could see water in the distance and connected the dots. They were at a lake.  
“Blaine Berry-Anderson, welcome to my special spot.”  
It took a few moments, but Kurt’s words sank into him. Kurt didn’t tell him about one of the very few places he went to, to escape from the world; he actually took him there. The magnitude of Kurt’s trust in him suddenly became very clear. One did not simply admit someone to their save harbour, did they?  
“Hey you, come help me, silly.”  
“Blaine was awoken from his deep thoughts by Kurt, who was now going through the content of his trunk. Before he could even ask what kind of help he could offer, a blanket was tossed in his arms, followed closely by a second one. Kurt rummaged a little further and finally dug out a six-pack of water bottles, of which he took one for each of them.  
“What’s with all the bags,” Blaine asked, referring to the neat pile of shopping bags stacked in the trunk.  
“Old clothes from Finn and me,” Kurt shrugged. “They’re for one of our Glee friends; Sam.”  
“Hmmm, name does ring a bell. Probably heard it from Rachel.”  
“He’s Mercedes’ boyfriend.”  
“Ooooh him…”  
“Yeah, he’s a sweetheart but his family has severe financial problems. Typical ‘bad things happening to good people’ kind of thing. Everyone in Glee tries to help out.”  
Kurt closed the trunk and grabbed his bag and the water bottles before locking his car.  
“But enough about Sam for now. I wanted to share this place with you and that’s what I’m going to do.”  
Blaine followed Kurt up a sideway path that seemed to go in a different direction from the big open grass field and little beach, which were crowed with a few groups of people. They were actually heading to a hill which was higher up than the more public places.  
Several minutes later, they sat down in a patch of grass between trees. It had a beautiful, picturesque view over the lake.   
“I always come up here because nobody else does and it’s much quieter than down there below,” Kurt explained as he spread out the blankets and shed his coat. Blaine followed his lead and took of his Dalton blazer and tie off before flopping down on the blankets.  
“It’s gorgeous out here. I didn’t know there was such a place in Lima.”   
“Well, I’ve been coming here all my life; literally.”  
Blaine rolled on his stomach and rested his head on his elbows before giving Kurt what Kurt called his curious puppy look. Basically, it was Blaine pulling out these big, adorable eyes that made Kurt’s knees tremble and his heart flutter more than usual.  
“My parents have been taking me here over since I was a baby. We would come here ever single weekend. Taking walks, having picnics, going swimming…and we did that until I was seven. That’s when my mom got sick and trips to the lake got more and more replace by trips to the hospital. At one point we didn’t come here at all anymore, because we were at the hospital all the time.”  
Blaine choked a bit, knowing exactly where that story went. He held his hand out to Kurt, who took it right away with a little smile. Blaine just gave him an encouraging squeeze and laced their fingers.  
“One day,” Kurt continued. “When I was eight, my mom kept begging us to take her back to the lake. She was sick of being in her hospital room and the hospital garden had become dull and repetitive to her. She didn’t like to be caged.”  
Kurt snickered at the last sentence. His mother’s free spirit was one of the things he loved most about her.  
“My dad finally caved in one day. We took her here and she was so happy that day. We hadn’t seen or heard her laugh the way she did in months.”

Blaine wondered whether Kurt realized that his eyes shimmered when he spoke about his mother, because they did. It was as if the blue in his eyes became brighter than usual and got filled up by tiny glitters. The fact that the boy was looking straight at him didn’t help. He just begged that Kurt didn’t notice how smitten he was right now.  
Then Kurt averted those mesmerizing eyes and cast them over the water. The smile he had on his face slowly fell.  
“She passed away a week later, and my dad and I stayed away from here. Neither of us could handle it because everything about this place reminded us so much of her.”   
He paused a bit but Blaine didn’t dare to speak.  
“We only went back shortly after her passing to spread some of her ashes over the water. After that we didn’t come back for over four years. I don’t even know why but one day I just got up and told my dad I wanted to come here. He didn’t object, didn’t try to get me off the idea…he just packed some food and we drove out here.”  
“How was it?”  
“Very calming actually. The whole place felt serene and up on this day. Neither I, nor my dad knew why, but we could feel her presence. There was just some inexplicable feeling. It’s just this big, warm, loving feeling. It was everything she was, but inside of us. We’ve felt it that day and we felt it every single time we came back.”  
A moment of silence fell. Blaine used it to sit up and scoot closer to Kurt, who was taken aback by his own emotions. Blaine slipped his fingers from Kurt and laid and arm around his waist, hugging him close.  
“Do you…do you feel her now?”  
Kurt glanced away from the lake back to Blaine, whose face was incredibly close now. They were staring right in each other’s eyes.  
“Yes,” he admitted. “Always. Feeling her is the reason I come back here. It helps. Sometimes I sit here and talk to her in my head. And then I hear her voice exactly the way it was when I was seven. I hear her say phrases she really used to say to me. I often hear her telling me how much she loves me.”  
Kurt stopped talking to wipe a little tear away and felt Blaine hugging him tighter for it.  
“That was beautiful, Kurt. Thank you for sharing that and this place with me. I’m kind of bumped that Rachel never told me about it.”  
“Don’t blame her. She doesn’t know.”  
“What?”   
Kurt snickered at Blaine’s dumbfounded expression.  
“She doesn’t know. I’ve never told her or Mercedes or took any of them here. I’ve never been here with someone other than my parents before. I’m considering taking Finn. I think he’d appreciate it since he lost his dad when he was a baby.”  
Blaine was now even more thunderstruck and his eyes even welled up.  
“You’ve never taken someone here before.”  
“No, you’re the first person ever.”  
“But…why me. Rach and Mercedes-”  
“You’re one of my best friends, Blaine. Yes, Rachel and Mercedes are too. But you understand me on levels they never will. You know exactly why I need to escape to a place like this. You’ve helped me a lot. I think we’ve been helping each other a lot. Taking you here just felt right.”  
Redemption. That was what Blaine felt. He had let himself get chased away from public school. Had felt weak for a long time. But the amount of gratitude Kurt had shown him by letting him into a place that was so sacred to him; a place he’d never shared with anyone else. Simply because Blaine had helped him live through the problems he himself had run away from. It really was the sweetest redemption.  
“Kurt, that means so much to me. You have no idea.”  
They locked eyes and without exchanging a single word, they both sat straight up and hugged each other tightly.  
“Can I ask you something though?” Kurt said in Blaine’s ear, before they were letting go and linked hands again.  
“Always.”  
Kurt smiled at Blaine’s standard answer to him. He barely used always for Rachel or his Dalton’s friends, but it was a given for him.  
“When we were at the Lima Bean and you gave me that talk, you said that we we’re going to be New York. What exactly did you mean by that or was it a mistake?”  
A mischievous grin spread across Blaine’s face.  
“Definitely not a mistake. You and my sister aren’t the only ones with big Broadway dreams, you know.”  
“You’re coming to New York with us?” Kurt shrieked wide-eyed.  
“Yes,” Blaine laughed loud. He was happy to now be the one to startle the other. “That’s if you want me to be there of course. Rachel knows. She has since we were both kids. I know she’d never object. But this is as much your dream as it is hers and mine. You two already made concrete plans while she and I never really got past ‘one day will go to New York and escape from all the bullies’. So if you don’t want me there, I’ll understand. I’ll get there myself and-”  
“Blaine, shut up,” Kurt growled with hot tears. “What are you even saying. Of course I want you to be there. You’re my best friend, damn it.”  
He flung himself back into Blaine’s arms and hid his face into Blaine’s neck, sobbing violently.  
“Holy shit, we’re going to be in New York together,” Blaine mumbled when he really started to realize what just was said. He held Kurt with one hand and cradled the boy’s head with his other. And that’s how they sat as they both cried tears of pure happiness.


	10. Chapter 10 part 1

The two boys sat tangled up together; Blaine on the ground with Kurt perched on his lap. Arms were wrapped around necks and waists. Hands were either tangled in hair, cupping and caressing faces or roaming backs. Tiny kisses were dropped on temples or cheeks. Happy tears and heavy sobs continually mingled.   
One would whisper the phrase ‘we’re going to New York together’ regularly and the other would always answer with either ‘we are’ or ‘it’s going to be amazing’.  
Blaine smiled as he nuzzled his face in the crook of Kurt’s neck, eagerly inhaling the sweet, fruity scent that enveloped him. It had taken a little while before everything had properly sunk in, but it definitely had now and right now he felt happier than he already did since he met Kurt. He always knew he would be leaving this town with Rachel, but he never dared to dream that he’d leave with someone who had the same experiences as him. He figured he might meet people in New York who went to similar things, but having Kurt there with him would make everything a million times better. The things he dreamed of doing in New York would feel so much more accomplished with Kurt around.   
The other boy had slid of his lap so he could sit next to him instead. The tears of joy were wiped away, sobs stopped and a deep breath was taken. That all made room for Kurt chattering excitedly about trying to find an apartment for the three of them; or getting a dorm room together if they were to live on campus. As Blaine listened quietly with a small smile - and insanely smitten over Kurt’s enthusiasm - he talked about all the touristy things they should do between moving in and starting college. That sparked an idea in Blaine’s mind.  
He grabbed his bag in search for several items. Kurt, on his turn, had fallen quiet, curious to why Blaine wasn’t listening anymore and why he needed the pen and notebook he just took out of his bag.  
“Come look,” Blaine chirped, before writing something down. Kurt did so and watched Blaine write. When he saw the words, the biggest grin broke out on his face.

New York bucket list:  
Things that Kurt Elizabeth Hummel and Blaine Alexander Berry-Anderson are going to do   
together in New York, which may or may not include Rachel Barbra Berry-Anderson

“Blaine, that’s genius,” Kurt exclaimed. He settled himself in a comfortable position, as did Blaine and two started brainstorming. Where Kurt came up with a few classic landmarks like the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, the Museum of Modern Arts and the Brooklyn bridge; Blaine added things like Times Square, Central Park, Ellis Island and Madam Tussauds (because he needed to see where he could find Kurt’s wax statue in a year or ten. Kurt giggled and smacked him softly on the arm.)  
“Oh, we should try to get rush tickets to see Wicked on Broadway,” Blaine said, writing it down at the same time. Behind the sentence he added and R between parentheses.   
“What does the R stand for?”  
“Rachel. If and R is added we must include her. She’d kill us if we didn’t take her to see Wicked with us.”  
“She’d kill us and bring us back to life, just to kill us again,” Kurt seriously stated, but then he and Blaine loudly snickered.   
They came up with a few more things – like getting coffee in a real New York café that wasn’t a Starbucks – when Kurt pitched that they should have breakfast at Tiffany’s just once, for the thrill of it. Blaine wrote it down immediately. They exchanged one look and shouted ‘R’ simultaneously in a cloud of laughter.   
After a while they made up a very decent list, and Blaine put the notepad away with the promise that he’d copy it when he got back at Dalton and give the original to Kurt.  
“How are we going to do all of this in such a short period while moving in and getting ready for school at the same time,” Kurt worried out loud.  
“We don’t have to,” Blaine replied. “Some of these things can be done on the same day but we’re in New York for school for about four years. We have multiple summers and there will be nights when we’re all free and don’t have lots of homework. We’ll get the list done eventually.”  
Kurt sighed relieved. He let Blaine take both of his hands, feeling cheerful when Blaine squeezed them for a tad.

The feeling didn’t last long though. The proud and content look that he’d been sharing with his best friend dropped unexpectedly and he got into a funk that had Blaine worrying.  
“What’s wrong, Kurt,” he asked.  
“Nothing,” Kurt mumbled. A guilty sob came from him when he saw how concerned Blaine was “Really, B. There’s nothing, I promise.”  
“Blue, You do realize you only tent to use that nickname whenever something is obviously up with you and you don’t want me to worry too much,” Blaine remarked with a smirk.  
They’d come around using nicknames only very recently, during a chat on Skype. Kurt had been slightly depressed about his locker getting defaced with hateful, homophobic slurs, but wouldn’t want to tell Blaine because he felt he complained too much to the other boy. After continuous imposing, Kurt had begged ‘B’ to stop it. It surprised them both, but Blaine quickly had taken a huge liking to it and then pleaded ‘Blue’ –named after the colour of Kurt’s eyes – to just tell him all of his problems. After that they used the nicknames only twice more under the same circumstances. And now again.  
“Come on, Blue,” Blaine now whispered desperately, cupping Kurt’s face and making him look into his eyes.  
Kurt averted his eyes anyway, but chose to speak.  
“I just thought about how amazing this day turned out to be and then the events from school came up in my head and killed my mood.”  
Blaine figured out right away that talking about Kurt’s mother and the bucket list held Kurt’s mind of reality. He was determined to continue just that. Everything to have Kurt smiling again. He laid down flat on his back. The ground radiated a bit of cold through the blanket and his thin shirt; he couldn’t be bothered by it.  
“C’mere,” he said softly, as he reached a hand out to Kurt. Said boy gave him a questioning look but accepted the hand and laid down with him. Safely curled up at his side with his resting on his shoulder is how Blaine found Kurt a few seconds later. Kurt’s placed his hand gently on Blaine’s chest, directly over the other boy’s heart. He could feel Blaine breathing beneath his fingers, as well as the steady, but particularly fast, beating of his heart.   
Then Blaine softly told him random storied about life at Dalton that had all occurred very recently: David and Nick pranking an arachnophobic Wes with a fake tarantula; Jeff accidentally flooding an entire corridor by clogging a toilet; Trent, who nailed a well deserved Warbler lead and who’d become a closer friend, and Nick, who got an A in French for the very first time in his life thanks to Kurt. It was all random, but Kurt couldn’t get enough of the stories.   
“Oh, I promised them that next week I’d kidnap you after coffee and bring you back to Dalton.”  
“Why?” Kurt yawned, stretching himself out. He slipped easily back into his old position, head and hand resting on Blaine.   
“They adore you, Kurt. You’re like the class pet everyone wants to take home and spoil rotten.”  
“Though I’m absolutely flattered, I’m not sure how to feel about being compared to a rabbit or guinea pig.”  
“Bad example,” Blaine roared. “Sorry for that. But they do though. They all liked you a lot. They already liked you from all the times they barged into us when we were Skyping and invited themselves into the conversation, but meeting you in real life made them like you more. You’re and I quote ‘so adorable that you could put kitties and puppies out of work for the next five years’. Well, that came from Jeff but everyone agreed. They want to be friends with you. That is if you want them to be, of course.”  
“Of course I want that,” Kurt gasped as sprung up in a sitting position. “I like them too, I told you. Tell them I gladly come.”  
Blaine smiled fondly at him. Just knowing that his friends not only approved of Kurt but actually liked him and that it was all vice versa; it meant the world to him. With everything that had happened to him, peace was the only thing he wanted in the little world he had built up around him.

oOo

“Will you tell me a bit more about your mother? She seemed like a lovely woman.”  
“She really was. She was an elementary school teacher, so she knew exactly how to work with children. She’d always sing the songs she sang with her class with me. She would tell me the stories she told them; often she made them up herself. As I said before, she had a free spirit so we were outside a lot. When I was young, I already had a taste for fashion, so I’d always go along shopping with her. She was always so beautiful when she was standing in front of a mirror with a new dress on.”  
For the next fifteen minutes, Kurt told him several stories with that same spark in his eyes Blaine saw earlier. At one point he listened less and stared more at Kurt, taking in his every single feature like had many times before. Like all the other times, he fell more in love with Kurt than he had before.   
“She would’ve loved you and that smart head of yours,” Kurt giggled. “She’d talk to you about books forever and have witty discussions with you, like the ones you have with David. If only she were around to meet you.”  
Then it dawned on Kurt what he and Blaine initially were going to do today. He was going to introduce him to his parents. Both Burt and Carole were delighted when he told them Blaine wanted to meet them as well. He glanced at his watch and sighed relieved. There was still plenty of time to drive home and still be on time for dinner.   
“Blaine, we need to go. My parents, remember?”   
Blaine remembered now too and the two of them quickly assembled all of their belongings before hurrying of to Kurt’s navigator. The ride to Kurt’s house started of fun. The two of them sang loudly to the Top 40 hits coming from the radio. But the longer the ride lasted, the quieter Blaine became. When they finally stopped in front of Kurt’s house, he was completely silent.  
How he got out of the car, he could not remember, but he was standing next to Kurt’s Navigator and just stared at the front door. He didn’t even understood w he was so tense. It wasn’t as if he was meeting his in-laws. Kurt was – sadly enough – just a friend and this wouldn’t be any different from meeting the parents of any of his other friends. Then why did it feel that way?  
“Blaine,” Kurt’s soft melodic voice sounded from beside him. “Are you okay?”  
Blaine stiffly nodded, keeping his eyes fixed on the door.  
“Oh my God, are you nervous?” Kurt giggled, stepped closer and took Blaine’s hand in his. He squeezed it encouraging. It was enough to ease some of Blaine’s tension.  
“Don’t be.”  
Kurt let go of his hand to tighten his Dalton tie and straighten the lapels of his blazer. “Just be yourself. They’re going to love you, just like I do. It’s hard not to with you.”  
Blaine’s eyes almost popped out of their sockets as he tried to wrap his mind around the fact that Kurt just had said that he loved him; but then reasoned that Kurt probably loved him the same way he loved Rachel and Mercedes. He looked down and watched Kurt’s hand expertly pulling on his lapels and aligning his tie.  
He grinned. This was exactly how many of his daydreams went when he fantasised about a future with Kurt. They were living in New York, married, and they were about to leave for a Broadway show. Kurt, being the fashionista that he was, would make sure he looked as well as a man could; not a single imperfection in sight.  
Kurt suddenly looked up and grinned back, his pale blue eyes shining brightly form amusement.  
“Ready?”  
“Yes.”  
Blaine let Kurt take his hand again before being tugged into the house. The living room had a classic homey feeling to it – not that his own house hadn’t, but his parents preferred a more modern style – but it was deserted. Which is why Kurt called out after hanging up both of their coats.  
“Dad? Carole?”  
“In the kitchen, dear,” a warm female voice sang back.  
Before he knew, Blaine was being dragged to another room where they were met with the delicious smell of spaghetti sauce, and eventually, the sight of a woman behind the stove. Kurt walked over to her right away and kissed her on the cheek.  
“Hi Carole.”  
“Hi sweetheart. Your dad’s still at the shop. He should be home very soon,” she said after pecking him back on the cheek. Blaine clearly saw how much Kurt loved his stepmother, but couldn’t help but snicker when Kurt disapprovingly glared at Carole’s jeans vest. That little sound made Carole notice him. The smile she offered him, made him feel at easy and the tension drifted off his shoulders at once.  
“Carole, this is Blaine. Blaine, this is my stepmother; Carole.”  
“We’ve met before, haven’t we?” Carole asked as she came closer and added a welcoming hug.  
“Yes. I believe it was once when you came to pick up Finn, ma’am.”  
“Oh, polite too; just like your sister,” Carole beamed. “And I think you’re right. Well anyway, welcome. Dinner is ready in a few minutes. Why don’t you boys go wash up?”  
The two did as they were told and retreated to the living after setting the table – Carole declined any other help concerning dinner. Blaine was instantly drawn to the various pictures from Kurt and Finn decorating one of the walls and Kurt took pleasure in explaining the ones that were from his own childhood.   
He was in the middle of telling Blaine about one where he was about ten years old, suited up and looking like a gentleman for his aunt’s wedding, when his father came home.  
“Hey dad,” Kurt chirped.  
“Hey kiddo.”  
Kurt gave his father barely any space to properly come into living room. He already dragged Blaine by the sleeve over to him. Blaine felt Burt Hummel’s judgemental eyes roaming over him and it took him a few seconds before he had the guts to actually look the man – shyly – in the eyes. But then, just like his wife, Burt smiled warmly at him.  
“You must be Blaine.”  
Blaine only nodded and shook the hand Burt had extended to him. He still felt intimidated, until Kurt placed a hand on his as a comforting gesture.  
“I heard many great things about you. As a matter of fact, Kurt won’t ever shut up about you.”  
“Dad!” Kurt growled embarrassed. His cheeks flushed like tomatoes.   
“What? It’s true!” Burt shrugged, while Blaine cast Kurt an amused look. He felt more at ease now that he knew Burt wasn’t as daunting as he seemed at first.  
They all went to the dining room, where Carole had already served scales with spaghetti and sauce. They all sat down; Blaine next to Kurt. Their feet bumped together under the table but neither minded nor moved.   
“Finn’s not here?” Kurt asked when he noticed one plate, a set of cutlery and a glass were removed.  
“No, he’s over at Mike Chang’s. They’re practising for a Glee club assignment, he told me,” Carole answered.  
When Kurt frowned deeply, Blaine got curious. “Is that weird? You look like it’s something unusual.”  
“Quite. They make an odd combination,” Kurt explained while scooping some spaghetti on his plate. “Dance-wise, Mike is Julliard material, while Finn has the coordination of a tree. Singing-wise, Finn is strong. Mike isn’t bad at all, but he’s not a confident singer.”  
“Ah, okay. I get it. Finn’s indeed better in singing than he is at dancing. First hand witness.”  
“You know Finn?” Burt asked, in between bites.  
Blaine nodded. “He’s dating my twin sister. I once had a ‘protective brother’ talk with him,” he clarified.  
“Of course, I forgot that you and Kurt met because you’re Rachel’s brother. Forgive me; I’m becoming an old man. My memory isn’t always as cooperative as it used to be.”  
Burt laughed and everybody laughed along. Blaine was pleased to see Kurt like this after had happened earlier. With all the shit that happened to them over the years, he was glad they both lucked out in the parent department.  
“I’m still grateful I let her in as a friend,” Kurt mused. “If I hadn’t, I would’ve never met you.”  
He closed his hand over Blaine’s. A little squeeze was given in return. The two boys smiled at each other, slightly forgetting the presence of Kurt’s parents.   
After dinner, Kurt excused himself and Blaine with the announcement that he was going to show Blaine his room before the other boy had the return to Dalton.

oOo

As soon as the boys’ footsteps echoed from the stairs, Burt let his head drop on the tale with a loud groan. Carole, who’d already started to clean up the table, worriedly placed the dishes in the sink and sat down next to her husband.  
“What’s wrong, dear?”  
“Nothing, nothing,” he sighed as he sat back up.  
Carole looked suspiciously at Burt and then glanced at the door where the boys just disappeared from.  
‘It has something to do with boys, hasn’t it? Didn’t you like Blaine?”  
“Oh no, Blaine’s a lovely kid; a gentleman in the making. It’s Kurt actually…”  
This confused Carole. She hadn’t noticed anything wrong with her stepson, other than that he was rather captivated by his friend. Maybe a bit too captivated for ‘just a friend’.  
“Kid’s a true Hummel,” Burt sighed. “My father once told me there is this particular face all Hummel men have whenever they are with the person who means the world to them. I know I had it when I saw Elizabeth walking down the aisle and we said I do to each other. I had it when I held Kurt in my arms for the very first time, and I had it again when I saw you dancing down the aisle and we said I do to each other.”  
Carole smiled as she remembered her wedding day and she clearly remembered the soft, glistering, adoring eyes Burt watched her with. Tears of happiness, which were contained, but clearly present.  
The bight powerful smile that couldn’t be broken. Smitten from head to toe…  
In real life it was all there too, just in a lesser quantity. And now that she thought about, it was the way Kurt had looked at Blaine during dinner; or whenever he spoke about his best friend.  
“Oh Burt, Kurt’s seventeen already. You know it’s only normal that he falls in love.”  
Burt nodded lightly. He took the hand his wife had laid over his and kissed her fingers.  
“Of course I know that, I’ve seen it with the Finn-debacle and I knew something was up since the weekend he met Blaine; not to mention all the times he talks about the boy. I’ve had the damned Talk with him. But now I’ve been hit in the face with reality. He’s really crazy about this kid. I secretly I hoped he wouldn’t actually like a guy until he was…thirty. I…he…it seems only weeks ago that he was a little chubby toddler, strutting around the house in hid mothers heels, And now he’s bringing boys home, looking at him with the Hummel face and taking them up to his room…oh God they’re in his room alone! I should-“  
“Leave them. They’re friends, like Finn and Noah Puckerman. Only with different interest.”  
“Like boys? Which they both are,” Burt groaned.  
“I was talking about hobbies, grouch. You’d find them lost in magazines, those reality shows Kurt always watches or romantic movies instead of being glued to an X-Box.”  
She shifted in her seat and gently cupped her husband’s face with both hands. She saw what she saw in many parents before: a parent who’s unprepared and scared to see their child becoming an adult.  
“They’re both so innocent. I think they’re just enjoying the fact that they’ve found a soul mate in this narrow-minded town. It’s so hard out here for them.”   
“It is. It is.”  
“Then let them be, dear.”  
Burt sighed and caved in under the pleading yet stubborn eyes of his wife. He kissed her sweetly on the lips and proceeded to clean up the remaining dishes from the table. He did not miss way Carole smirked.  
“How come you’re so confident over this? You only have one son and he’s as old as mine, yet you seem so much more experienced.”  
Carole giggled and joined her husband where he was standing by the sink. She wrapped her arms around him and let out a deep breath when his arms enclosed her as well.   
“Our sons may be the same age, but I’ve already caught my son singing to the sonogram of his pregnant girlfriend. I’ve dealt with him coming home in tears because he found out said girlfriend had cheated on him with his best friend and the baby wasn’t his. I’ve seen him come home, overjoyed because he’d found a new girl and she made him happier than anyone had ever before. Quite recently he told me he thought Rachel might be the love of his life. I’ve seen Finn turn into an adult at the age of sixteen when he said he was going to find a job to help Quinn pay for her hospital bills. I’ve had to accept it long ago. Now it’s your turn.”  
“I don’t like it,” Burt grumbled. “But I guess you’re right.”  
“I’m a woman. We’re always right.”  
Before Burt could reply, Carole grinned again and kissed him. Then she took him to the living room to relax and watch some television. The dishes could wait; teasing Burt about his new found teenage-problems was much more satisfying.


	11. Chapter 10 part 2

“So, this is my room,” Kurt said as he let Blaine into his bedroom and closed the door behind them. He watched Blaine take in his room and walk around, taking in all of his belongings.  
“Is it weird if I say that this is quite like what I imagined your room to be? It breathes you.”  
“And what am I?” Kurt charmingly smirked.  
“Chic, sophisticated, elegant, fashionable.” Blaine stepped closer to his friend and caressed Kurt’s cheek with one finger. “And you’re adorable when you blush because you get compliments. “  
Kurt pouted and slightly shoved Blaine against his arm; Blaine wanted to kiss those pouty lips away.  
Kurt gave him a tour of his room. Well, it was more of a tour of his closet and its content since the room wasn´t very large. Despite not being rich and having to rely on bargains and sales, Kurt had managed to put an impressive collection of designer clothing together. Though Blaine wasn´t even half the fashionista Kurt was, he did have somewhat of an interest in fashion and he kind of envied Kurt.  
“You and I are going shopping together more often. We’ll tow my horribly dressed sister with us if we have to.”  
This excited Kurt. The last time a guy offered to go shopping with him was, well, never. And he’s been dying to give Rachel a makeover ever since he saw her walking through the halls of McKinley for the very first time. From the moment they’d become friends, he’d been trying to convince her that vintage-like dresses would do so much more for her than those hideous animal shirts and plaid skirts. Maybe Blaine could help convince her.   
“Deal,” he smiled and pulled Blaine out of his walk-in closet. 

His phone beeped in his bag, announcing a text. He let Blaine’s hand go, so he could open the messenger bag on his bed. He grinned when Blaine started to whine about being ditched for a phone. The first thing in his bag that actually came in sight was a plastic bag, which held his ruined shirt. It brought back the awful of earlier that day, so he grabbed it and mindlessly tossed it away.  
It ended right in front of Blaine’s feet, who picked it up and took out the shirt. At first sight it looked like a simple dress shirt, but the silky feeling fabric, the asymmetrical button down front, shoulder epaulettes and the form of the collar and the pleated, rolled button cuffs proved otherwise. It was an Alexander McQueen and it was totally Kurt.   
But the once white shirt was now for the most part covered in red, blue and purple stains; the result of the massive slushy attack. Blaine had picture how the attack had gone when Kurt had said there were seven jocks, but the actual result went far above his imagination.   
“Kurt…”he chocked. Kurt spun around and saw the stained shirt in Blaine’s hands. “I didn’t know it was this bad. I’m so sorry, Kurt.”  
From one moment to the other, Kurt fumed with rage. He ripped the shirt from Blaine and hurled it back on the ground, before harshly shoving Blaine against his chest.   
“Don’t you dare apologize for those bastards. Don’t you dare, Blaine!”  
He kept shoving Blaine – unintentionally sending him stumbling backwards – and with every shove, the anger inside him built up. Vengeful tears streaked his pale face.  
“Don’t. You. Fucking. Dare!”  
He growled; he breezed; he actually hit Blaine with the side of his fists, but none of it registered in his head. He was out of it; the rage in him had broken him.  
Blaine calmly stood by; willingly receiving every blow Kurt sent his way. The punches were bearable, and he knew that none of it was directed towards him. Kurt needed to get this out of his system, and he was going to help him with it.  
For at least a minute or three, he let Kurt shove and punch him, ‘till he had to admit to himself that his chest started to feel sore. He took hold of Kurt’s wrists in attempt to stop him. Kurt, however, immediately fought against him for his release.  
Blaine was too strong; it was futile to get loose out of his grasp. So Kurt gave in, gave himself over and collapsed against his best friend. He started crying loudly right after.  
“It’s okay, Kurt. Everything is okay.”   
Blaine felt his neck become wet where Kurt had buried his face, but he couldn’t get himself to care. He couldn’t care for anything except Kurt. He wrapped his arms tightly around Kurt’s shaking frame and whispered comforting words into his ear. Now and then he also dropped tiny kisses on Kurt’s temple.   
He himself struggled against crying himself, because it simply hurt to see Kurt as broken as he was. He couldn’t help but wonder if it was this hard for Kurt that time they were at his own house and he had burst into tears after telling him about his own past.

Kurt eventually calmed down and pulled away from Blaine’s damp neck. He’d also left several wet spots on the collars of Blaine’s shirt and blazer.   
“Sorry for that,” he mumbled hoarsely and attempted to pat them dry with a tissue.  
“Now look who’s apologizing,” Blaine joked; it made Kurt chuckle.  
“Are you okay, though?”  
“Are we ever really okay in this town?”  
Blaine didn’t answer.  
Kurt walked over to his dresser, opened the top drawer and reached far into the back. Blaine couldn’t see what he was doing, until Kurt pulled out a slim, rectangular box. He sat down on the edge of his bed and motioned for Blaine to join him; which Blaine did.  
“The shirt isn’t the only thing of mine those jocks ruined,” Kurt softly said while handing him the box. Blaine gave him a wary glance before opening it. Lying in red velvet was a beautiful silver necklace with a small locket attached to it. However, the chain was broken and so was the locket. Blaine took the top of the locket, which revealed a photo of a young Kurt with a woman who clearly was his mother. It resembled a much larger photo standing in Kurt’s desk.  
“It was my mom’s. It was the last mother’s day present I ever gave to her. I started to wear it under my clothes a few years back. Not long ago, I was wearing a v-neck shirt without a scarf and I bended over after I dropped something. So the necklace slipped out and a jock literally yanked it off my neck and smashed it against a wall. He said such necklaces were for girls and I acted enough like one as it was.”  
Kurt chocked and was on the verge of crying again; Blaine instantly offered an arm of comfort to him. He couldn’t fight a little smile from appearing when Kurt pretty much crawled into him. He never could when Kurt came so close. Fortunately, he always managed to be clear-headed enough to not let his feeling for Kurt get in the way of being there for Kurt in the way he should be. This time was no different; even if Kurt had his face buried in his neck and he could swear he felt Kurt’s lips grace over his skin.  
It was silent for a minute or two. The only sound came from the television downstairs. Finally Kurt spoke, softly, almost inaudible.  
“That necklace being taken from me hurt more than anything slushy, dumpster toss or push against a locker has ever had. Getting humiliated in front of the entire school, getting beat up; it’s all nothing compared. I felt like they were touching her, like she was taken from me all over again.”  
He picked up the box and bitterly glared at the broken pieces of jewellery. Blaine’s arm around him tightened and a set of lips pressed a kiss in his hair and another on his forehead. Then the box was taken from and snapped shut,  
“Stop looking at it. It makes you upset,” Blaine’s voice whispered in his ear.  
“It does,” he confirmed. “That’s why I hid it in the back of the drawer. So I don’t have to see it, so my dad will never see it. He knew how much she loved it.”  
A deep breath. A sigh. A defeated attitude.  
“I don’t want to cry anymore over these assholes, Blaine. I’m sick and tired of it. I don’t want to waste any more tears.”  
“The maybe you should do what I never dared to. Fight back. Not literally of course, but call them out. Confront them. Let them know they shouldn’t mess with you any longer. I remember what you said about me going to Dalton. That it wasn’t running away like a coward, but a way of survival. But I still regret that I never stood up for myself and kept seeming weak. I regret it so much. I never had the courage to do it, but I know you, and you have it.”  
“Blaine, I don’t-“  
“Yes you do, Kurt!”  
Blaine pushed Kurt off of him, to cup his hands around rosy cheeks. He ended up looking straight into those ocean blue orbs that had the firmest hold on his heart.  
“The first day you and I really spoke, you said you weren’t a strong person. I like to think I actually know you now and you are strong. You don’t even realise how much I envy you.”  
Kurt’s watery eyes glimmered and his lips curled up into a sad smile. He let his hands trail over Blaine’s arms – secretly fawning over the boy’s muscles – before taking Blaine’s hands of his cheeks and lacing them with his own.  
“I want to clone you so I can take you everywhere with me. You’re so good at making me feel better about myself. I’ll think about the bully thing. Right now you have more faith I me than I do. Thank you for that, by the way.”  
Kurt leaned over and kissed him on the cheek; longer and more tender than he usually did. That was one thing Blaine noticed right away. He couldn’t help but wonder if it meant something special. What he did know was that he wanted to push Kurt flat on his back and kiss him senseless, right here on his own bed, until they were both absolutely dizzy.

“Kurt, can you come down for a second? I need help with something,” Burt shouted from downstairs.  
Kurt playfully rolled his eyes at Blaine.  
“Probably something with his computer. If it is, it might take a while. Be right back.”  
Kurt let Blaine go – unaware of the cold feeling he left the boy with – and placed the jewellery box back in the drawer before rushing out of the room. The minute Blaine was sure Kurt was out of sight, he acted fast. He grabbed the discarded shirt from the floor and took the jewellery box out of the drawer again. He quickly stuffed both items in his own backpack, which luckily was upstairs in Kurt’s room. He really hoped Kurt wouldn’t miss them, because he had plans with them. He was going to fix this mess for him and surprise him. Kurt deserved it.  
All the other stuff were returned to their original positions so they wouldn’t make Kurt suspicious. Then he started on his second plan to surprise Kurt. He only thought of it a few minutes ago, but now with Kurt out of the room, he might as well execute now as fast as possible. Kurt could use it, he was convinced.  
He searched through Kurt’s desk and found cardboard paper, a pair of scissors, glue and in the magazine rack next to the door he found a few copies of Vogue and Marie Claire. He just hoped Kurt wouldn’t kill him for cutting into them.

oOo

“Hey, I’m back. It was indeed my dad’s comp-...what are you doing?”  
Kurt looked puzzled at the mess on his desk, created by Blaine, and even more at the magazines lying around him.  
“Wait a sec,” Blaine mumbled, not taking his eyes of whatever he was cutting. Just as Kurt was about to protest, Blaine cut the last piece and grinned triumphantly.   
“Done!”  
“What’s done?”  
As an answer, Blaine handed him whatever he just made and smiled hopefully at him. Kurt looked down at Blaine’s hands and saw that he had created a collage, made out of letter’s taken from covers and ads from his magazines. It spelled courage.  
“Thought it might help you to remember to stay strong. And to one day find the guts to stand up against those assholes. I- HMPF!”  
Blaine never got to finish his last sentence; Kurt had tackled him with a tight hug.   
“You’re amazing. You’re amazing. You’re amazing,” he chanted into Blaine’s hair.  
“So you’re not mad I cut your magazines,” Blaine asked softly.  
“Are you crazy!” Kurt cried out. “I absolutely love what you made. How can I ever be mad at you? You’re the best friend in the freaking universe. Thank you so much.”  
“For you always, Kurt,” Blaine smiled, ecstatic about the fact that his plan to surprise Kurt worked. He felt a tad of an empty ache when Kurt pulled back, but got blown away by the dazzling smile Kurt gave him. Their eyes locked and Blaine could feel these heave sparks; the same he always felt when they ended up gazing at each other like this.  
The sound of two cats fighting under Kurt’s window snapped them out of the trance they were in.   
“Uhm, we still have time. What should we do?” Blaine asked, blushing. He felt foolish for blushing. He didn’t even know why he was doing it.  
“I have the last episode of Project Runway Allstars recorded. I didn’t watch it yet, because you couldn’t. You had to study for your maths test, remember? We can actually watch it together for once, instead of over Skype.”  
They both grinned as they recalled the many times, they set up Skype and watched TV-shows or movies together at the same time with Kurt being at home or at Mercedes’ and Blaine being at Dalton.  
“Love to,” Blaine replied.

oOo

“That dress is a crime against humanity,” Kurt spat outraged.  
They were curled up together on his bed and watched the judges review the top and bottom three.  
“It’s not that bad,” Blaine snickered.  
“Blaine, what is wrong with you? It looks like it was made out of cheap curtains. And that poor model. She’s as skinny as my friend Brittany, but in that dress she looks like she’s about to pop out twins. A pregnant looking model means instant failure.”  
“Yeah, okay. It’s dreadful.”  
Kurt held out his hand and Blaine high fived him. Blaine’s hand went atop Kurt’s arm which was wrapped around his own waist. The hand of Blaine’s other arm was still half buried in Kurt’s surprisingly messy hair. Blaine figured that it being messy already was the only reason he was allowed to touch it.   
Normally Kurt tented to throw a fit if Blaine only pointed at his perfectly styled lock and it would be followed by a new layer of hairspray. He’d only seen it unstyled and messy once before, when he caught Kurt on his way to the bathroom in the hall – the bright, almost neon pink of Rachel’s bathroom was too much for his eyes in the early morning, Kurt had argued. He never had been sexier.  
“Austin’s dress is beautiful, but Michael’s is just divine,” Blaine commented on the first designer’s gold with black tulle gown, versus a completely black, draped gown with an open back; the front of it covered by shiny black feathers and beaded straps.   
“M-hm.” Kurt hummed in agreement. “I’d become a woman just to be able to wear that dress.”  
“Don’t need to. You could just go drag. You have the body for it.”  
Kurt blushed furiously and didn’t dare to actually look at Blaine, afraid he’d embarrass himself or something.   
“And the voice.”  
“BLAINE!” Kurt shrieked, grabbing one of his many pillows to hit his friend in the face. Muffled laughter coming from under the pillows was heavily contagious and soon Kurt was laughing right with him. A little wrestling match ensued, because no one insulted Kurt E. Hummel, even if it was meant as a joke.  
He ended up flat on his back, with Blaine half hovering over him. They breathed the rush off and smiled goofily at each other. Kurt giggled when Blaine teasingly scrunched his nose up.   
He let his arm snake around Blaine’s waist again and actually used Blaine to hoist himself up and press his own body against Blaine’s. He buried his face into the crook of Blaine’s neck – which seemed to be shaped to fit him precisely – and took a big whiff of his cologne. He’d loved it since their very first hug.  
Blaine on his turn wrapped an arm around Kurt’s frame to keep him close, and decided in that very moment he wanted to stay like this forever; the boy of his dreams in his arms, the both of them shivering and shaking from the insane sparks. The chemistry happening between them, despite the lack of words eye and lip contact, was out of this world.  
“I’m so glad we’ve met, Blaine. I can’t and don’t want to imagine a world without you.”  
“My life would’ve been empty, dull and lacking without you,” Blaine replied. “I’d be a lot more miserable, even with my friends at Dalton.”  
“Well, we are in each other’s lives. We’re best friends. So let’s forget those alternate worlds, agree?”  
“Absolutely.”  
Kurt moved from Blaine’s neck to his shoulder, from where he peeped up at Blaine with what Blaine thought was the most adorable look ever. He brushed his fingers against Kurt’s soft, flawless-feeling cheek, causing Kurt to smile more brightly than ever before. He bend down and let his lips touch Kurt’s forehead, before leaning his head against the same spot.   
The host of Project Runway announced Austin as the winner of the challenge and both boys groaned.  
“Rubbish,” Kurt sighed absently while he looped his legs around Blaine’s.  
“Complete rubbish,” Blaine agreed, not taking his eyes of the gorgeous creature in his arms. For what seemed the millionth time since he met Kurt, he felt a deep urge to kiss him, though there were only two or three times where he actually initiated the tiniest move in the direction of a real kiss. This moment was one of those times.  
This time there would be no friends checking his whereabouts – they all knew exactly where he was right now. Plus Nick was coming to pick him up in time – there was no Elliot with his bad timing and there was no curfew to rush either of them off. Just the two of them in this very moment; together in a web of arms, and legs, and thick sexual tension.  
Project Runway continued forgotten in the background with the creator of the pregnancy dress ending up eliminated, but neither boy noticed. Blaine was too busy moving closer to those attractive lips and Kurt was internally freaking out because he could swear again that Blaine was about to kiss him. And nothing was there to stop him.

Then there were three sharp knocks on the door, followed by kind sounding-voice.   
“Boys?”  
Burt.  
Kurt quickly untangled himself entirely from Blaine - who was cursing silently over yet another missed opportunity to kiss Kurt – and called for his father to enter.  
“Did you boys have a fight?” Burt asked astonished after he saw Kurt’s messy bed. Usually it was always made perfectly and with uttermost care. His bed looking like a warzone was an understatement and it baffled Burt in all ways possible.  
“Wrestled. I won,” Kurt announced proudly.  
“You wished, Hummel. I had you down in no time.”  
“You’re deluding yourself, Anderson,” Kurt spat back and forcefully pushed Blaine flat on his back. “You got nothing on me, hobbit.”  
“Hey! I’m only an inch shorter than you,” Blaine whimpered with a pout. “And I did win.”  
Kurt simply rolled his eyes and turned to his father, who watched them endeared and amused. He’d never seen Kurt interact like that with another boy, or anyone in general for that matter. He really started to like Blaine. Anyone who could drag this out of his son was good in his book.  
“Sorry to interrupt your discussion, but Blaine, a friend of yours is here to pick you up.”  
Two sets of eyes flashed to the clock on the wall and two smiles dropped in an instant.  
“Must be Nick. I didn’t know it was so late already,” Blaine mumbled. He failed miserably in hiding the disappointment in his voice. He wanted to stay with Kurt for at least a few more hours. He gathered his blazer and tie from Kurt’s desk chair and started to dress himself.  
Kurt waited patiently for him to finish and fixed his tie and a few loose curls in his hair when he did so. They were so close when Kurt’s hands were working on Blaine’s hair; it was inevitable that their eyes met again and they ended up grinning goofily at each other.  
“Ahum.” Burt’s awkward cough shook them up. Both boys blushed and stepped away from the other, while Burt chuckled and left the room.   
“We should…go…downstairs…now!” Kurt mumbled and dashed away.  
“Yeah,” Blaine assed, grabbing his backpack. He rushed after Kurt and caught up with him right before he was about to descend from the stairs. With a smirk he grabbed Kurt by the hips and pulled him back towards him. In a swift move he easily hoisted him up and threw him over his shoulder.  
“Blaine!” Kurt screeched. “Put me down, you Neanderthal.”  
“No! I won and you know it!” Blaine laughed back. With a kicking Kurt on his shoulder he ran downstairs, where a smirking Nick and a confused-looking Finn were waiting.  
“Hey guys,” Nick and Finn said simultaneously; Finn sounded more awkward.   
Blaine had already put Kurt on his feet, who’d skipped to Nick to hug him, while Blaine and Finn exchanged a bro-fist. Finn then left the hall for his quest for food.

Blaine, you kinda need to say good bye now or else we’re going to be late. My parents will kill me if I get in trouble again,” Nick said.  
“The maybe you and Jeff should tone down the mischief,” Kurt quipped, raising a judging eyebrow. Blaine sighed silently; that raised eyebrow made Kurt look sexy and sexy Kurt made his hormones rage.  
“And lose my title as one of the Dalton Marauders? Never!” Nick cried out.  
“Don’t bother, Kurt. We’ve tried to keep them on the right path many times, but it’s hopeless,” Blaine said. “I’m going to say goodbye to your parents. Be right back.”  
Kurt and Nick watched him go and chatted a little more to fill the time.  
“Oh, It’s my birthday next week and I’m throwing a little party at my house. I’d like it if you came as well.”  
“Y-you do?” Kurt stuttered astonished.  
“Yes, “Nick grinned. “I consider you a friend. All of us do, even though we’ve only met you once. Twice now in my case. Please take it as a hint to drop by more. Also, I owe you majorly for all the hours you’ve spent on tutoring me. Inviting you is the least I could do.”  
“Wow, thank you,” Kurt replied, still half shocked. “I’ll come definitely.”  
He stepped in and hugged Nick again. It still somewhat surprised him when boys freely and warmly hugged him back the way Nick did now. They just pulled back with a smile, when an arm wrapped around his waist and a body smoothly leaned against his.  
“What are you guys talking about?” Blaine asked curious. Kurt to him with a grin and nudged him in his side.   
“Nick invited me to his party next week.”  
“You’re coming?!” Blaine exclaimed a little loud, a little enthusiastic and according to Kurt way too adorable.  
“Yeah,” Kurt giggled. “You see, Nick and I are friends now, so I don’t really need you anymore to get to hang out at Dalton.”  
The corners of Blaine’s lips curled downwards, forming his mouth into a cute pout, which was all kinds of irresistible. Kurt shook his head at him, put a finger on each end of Blaine’s lips and pushed them up until he was smiling.  
“You should save me a dance,” Blaine begged softly.  
“Maybe. Dalton has some pretty cute boys, like the one who was checking me out the other day. Who says I won’t find my Prince Charming and dance in his arms all night long?”  
When Blaine grimaced, Kurt burst out in giggles and let his arms slide around Blaine’s neck, guiding him into a hug. Blaine could see Nick smirking at them and threw him a murderous glare while he hugged Kurt back.  
“Blaine! Allons-y!” Nick whined impatiently. The two boys finally let go and exchanged bright, dreamy smiles, before finally saying their goodbyes to each other.  
“Bye Mr. and Mrs. Hummel! Bye Finn!” Blaine yelled towards the living room and got three goodbyes back. The two Dalton boys moved towards the front door. Blaine had barely passed the threshold when he felt Kurt grabbing his hand and tugging him back.  
“Blaine wait…”  
He obeyed, turning back to Kurt to find him looking with a soft and thankful expression on his angelic face.  
“Thank you for everything you did for me today.”  
“Oh Kurt, it was no-”   
“Blaine, it was not nothing, and you know that very well. Just accept that you’re a damn good friend and an amazing human being.”  
Kurt leaned forward and kissed him long and softly on his cheek. Then he moved a bit and whispered in his ear.  
“You told me to have courage. Now I’m telling you to start believing in yourself.”  
Blaine only nodded and received another kiss; this time on his forehead. Kurt retreated and lingered on the threshold. Blaine wanted to tell him a million things that varied from an appreciation of their friendship, up to a marriage proposal. But nothing came out of his mouth.  
“Blaine! Vamanos!” Nick yelled from where he was standing at his car.  
“You know, for a guy who sucks at foreign languages, he uses them very well,” Kurt chuckled amused.  
“I know. Don’t tell him though. See you Friday?”  
“Absolutely.”  
One last hug was shared and Blaine reluctantly left. Kurt kept lingering in the doorway, until Nick’s BMW left the street.

oOo

Nick barely sat behind the wheel when Blaine blurted out a waterfall of words.  
“You’re not inviting Devon.”  
Nick looked at him disbelieving, only to burst out in loud laughter right after.  
“Oh my God, Blaine! You can’t expect me to not invite any of my friends who are gay and happen to be good looking.”  
“I can and you will. I have connections in the Warblers. I can have you kicked off.”  
Nick sighed and pulled out of the Hummel’s driveway.  
“Your connections are Wes and David and they are as much your friends as they are mine. They’re not going to kick me off because you don’t want to see the guy you’re crushing on in the arms of another man.”  
They drove past Kurt’s house, where Kurt was still standing and waving at them. Nick honked the horn a few times and both boys waved back; Blaine added a blow-kiss which luckily went unnoticed by Nick. When the Hummel residence was behind them, Blaine slummed against the window. His gelled hair probably stained the glass but he couldn’t care less.  
“Try to imagine the girl you’re insanely in love with dance with another guy, getting romantic with him, being lovely and cute with him…” He said softly. “I’m failing over and over again in telling him how I feel about him. Seeing him fall over another guy would be beyond devastating. I’d literally never forgive myself if Kurt would end up dating someone else.”  
Nick was tapping the wheel but had stopped the moment Blaine mentioned he really was in love. He supported the relationship between Kurt and Blaine like no other and besides that, he and Blaine had been friends since the day they met at freshman orientation. Blaine was like a brother now; he wanted nothing but the best for him, especially after the Sebastian fiasco.   
He reached over and gently clapped Blaine on the shoulder.  
“I’ve already invited Devon. I can’t uninvited him without a legitimate excuse. I can however make an effort to keep him and Kurt apart. But to be honest, Kurt likes you man. I know you don’t see it, but I do; we all do. So I will help you and I’ll get the others to help too. The only condition is that you tell Kurt how you feel.”  
He expected Blaine to be hesitant or protesting at least. But Blaine actually agreed from where he was leaning against the window.  
“You’re right. I need to man up. I…I’m going to tell him.”


	12. Chapter 11

Friday night: sleepover night rolled around and it was already past dinner time. Rachel was waiting on the couch, half following the sitcom her fathers were watching and half focussing on the door. When the bell finally rang, she all but sprinted to the door to welcome her friends. Mercedes was there, and for a change, so was Tina. After she hugged both girls, she looked at the door opening and found, well…no one. Just air and hard pouring raining  
“Where’s Kurt?” she asked. They always carpooled to and from sleepovers. It was never decided; it just happened and stayed, because it tended to set the right mood before the sleepovers even started.  
“I don’t know,” Mercedes answered. “Before I left home, I texted him to ask if he was ready. He texted back, saying that I didn’t need to pick him up and that he would come later. I did ask him why, but he didn’t reply to that.”  
The girls didn’t think much behind it. It was known that Friday was Family Dinner Night at Kurt’s, so maybe something was holding him up. They went upstairs to Rachel’s room, where they changed into their pyjama’s and braided each other’s hair. Blaine dropped by pretty much immediately after they reached the room, so called to ask Rachel something about some musical, but left after greeting Mercedes and introducing himself to Tina. (“You just wanted to see if Kurt’s here,” Rachel had joked)  
Over the sound of laughter and giggles they chatted about their boyfriends; the pro’s but especially the cons of their boyfriends. Complaining and venting now and then just felt guiltily good. Those conversations changed into rumour; Glee rumours to be specific. Artie, Brittany and Santana were in some sort of love triangle, and everyone but Artie seemed to be aware of it. Quinn was seeing some guy from the swim team, and while Rory seemed to have a major crush on Sugar, the overly hyper girl was too boy crazy and had her eyes on not one, but two boys.  
“Did you see poor Rory’s puppy eyes when he saw Sugar hitting on that guy from our maths class? I wanted to hug him so much,” Rachel cooed as she passed a bowl of chips to Tina.  
“Yes,” Tina agreed. “It was too adorable despite the fact that it was actually very sad.”   
She tried to pass the bow through to Mercedes, but the latter girl declined; she was waiting for her freshly applied nail polish to dry.   
“I wonder where Kurt is. It’s getting late and it’s nothing like him to stay away without notice,” she worried out loud.  
“He did leave school fairly quickly. And he seemed so absent during Glee,” Tina added.  
“I know,” Rachel exclaimed. “He hasn’t fought me for leads lately. He doesn’t even feel like doing duets with me at all.”  
“He lost weight,” Mercedes pitched in sadly. “And he’s so quiet at school. The only time when he seems himself is when he talks to or about Blaine.”  
“It’s the bullying,” Rachel stated firmly. “It has to be. That’s why I asked Finn to assemble the boys and-”  
In the middle of her sentence, the bell rang. Given the time – it was near 10pm – it could only be one person.  
“Must be Kurt,” Rachel said, sprinting out of her room and down the stairs with the other two girls on her heels.

“I got it,” she yelled at Liam, who emerged to see what the ruckus was all about and who was at their door at this time. Rachel yanked the door open. The relieved mile she was carrying on her face fell right off. Standing on her doorstep was Kurt, and he wasn’t okay at all.  
The pouring rain had taken down his usually perfect coiffed hair. His clothes were soaked through and through, and despite the fact that it looked like he just stepped from under a shower, it was obvious he had been crying a lot.  
All three girls watched horrified as he stepped into the house. He tried to smile at them, but it was a failed effort; he just couldn’t.  
Rachel wrapped her arms around her friend and hugged him as tightly as her strength allowed.  
“I’m getting your pyjama’s wet,” Kurt mumbled.   
“Don’t care. Kurt, are you okay?”  
It took a while before he finally shook his head.  
“Is Blaine home? I really need to talk to him,” he asked with a shaky voice.  
“Yes. He’s upstairs in his room, playing his guitar.”  
“Would you mind if I go see him first?”  
Rachel shook her head and pushed him towards the stairs, though he didn’t climb it before hugging both Mercedes and Tina and waving to Rachel’s parents. When he was up the stairs, the three girls turned to each other and shared worried thoughts and negative feelings. None of it passed Liam and Bryan unnoticed.

-oOo-

Blaine was strumming his guitar, playing and singing a Coldplay song he’d played a million times before, when a soft knocking sound from his door interrupted his play.  
“Come in,” he sang, not taking his eyes of his instrument.  
The door opened and its squeaky sound was followed by soft, “hey”, in the very voice that was always on Blaine’s mind. It was for that very reason Blaine’s head shot up straight and sported the brightest smile he had, while his heart flipped. It took one look at Kurt for him to shift from being the happiest person in the world to looking absolutely petrified.  
“Oh my god, Kurt!”  
He threw his guitar carelessly on his bed and leapt of it. At the same time, Kurt moved into the room and met him halfway. Blaine was totally taken aback by the force with which Kurt was clutching on to him, with arms tight around his chest and Kurt’s face, cold and wet, in his neck. But neither that, nor Kurt being soaking wet, kept him from wrapping his arms around Kurt’s shivering frame.  
“It’s school again, isn’t it?”  
Kurt nodded and started sobbing softly. “I was at the lake ever since Glee ended.”   
Blaine gulped, because he knew now how bad things had to be for Kurt to escape to his secret, sacred hideaway. He hugged him tighter for a minute or two, whispering soothing things at the same time.  
“Come on, let’s get you out of these wet clothes and then we’ll talk.”  
“Oh damn,” Kurt cursed as he withdrew himself from Blaine. His hands buried themselves in his hair in a gush of seer panic. “I don’t have anything with me. I didn’t go home at all. I have a bag with extra clothes in my car that I always keep there in case I run out of extra clothes in my locker, but those are only day clothes. I have no nightwear, underwear; my skin and hair products and-”  
“Kurt, calm down!”  
“But my clothes! I’m a soaking wet mess.”  
“I’ll lend you some of my stuff,” Blaine smiled. “You can borrow some clothes to sleep in. I have plenty of new underwear and tooth brushes around, so I never have to go to the store whenever I need to refill my Dalton supplies. Also, my friends have the annoying habit to just not leave whenever they are over here. It’s almost never planned ahead, so they won’t have anything on them. I’m always prepared for impromptu sleepovers.”  
Kurt smiled, making Blaine grin in return. He gently cupped Kurt’s cheek and wiped a few water drops that were most likely from the rain, but might as well have been tears. He left him standing there and walked over to his dresser to fetch a t-shirt and pyjama pants, as well as a pair of boxer briefs – still wrapped in a little plastic bag – and a brand new toothbrush. He handed Kurt everything in a neat stack and guided him to the small bathroom attached to and only accessible from his room. It was similar to Rachel’s bathroom, which Kurt always avoided - It was coloured in an unhealthy amount of pink. 

“Have you eaten anything since you left school?”  
“Just an apple and a granola bar I had left over from lunch,” Kurt answered softly and as proof, his stomach grumbled loudly.  
“Hint taken,” Blaine chuckled. “Do you want some dinner? My dad and I made a macaroni pie?”  
“Yes please. That sounds ridiculously delicious right now.”  
“Okay. While you take a shower, I’ll go get you dinner. My soap and shampoo are in the shower rack there and you can find skincare products in the cabinet above the sink. Use whatever you need.”  
Kurt nodded with a happier smile and mouthed, “thank you”. Despite the fact that Kurt looked like a miserable mess, Blaine wanted to kiss him desperately. So before he actually did so and made a fool out of himself, he clapped Kurt on the shoulder and fled the bathroom.  
On his way downstairs he passed Rachel’s room of which the door was halfway opened. He could see the three girls sitting on his sister’s bed as they talked sombrely about Kurt. Rachel caught his eye and gave him a hopeful look, as if to ask of he knew more already. He gave her a thumbs down; with their twin-bond communication, it was all they need to do as question and answer. She nodded and let him go on.  
Downstairs his parents ambushed him about Kurt as well.  
“Is Kurt okay, Blaine? We’re worried about him,” Bryan said, while his husband held his hand and look at their son with the same concern.  
“I don’t know,” he answered honestly. “I just got him to take a shower and I’m getting him something to eat right now. We’re going to talk later.”  
“Okay. I’m sure you can handle it, but if you guys need help, just give a call.”  
Blaine promised to and quickly moved forward to the kitchen. There he whipped up some of the promised macaroni pie, as well as two mugs and a thermos with tea. Something told him Kurt would prefer that much more at the moment than coffee.   
He put everything on a tray and went back up to his room. The shower was still running when he returned, and that hit him with a sudden realisation; Kurt was a few feet away, wet and very much naked. Those thoughts went two ways: up to his head - making him blush furiously – and down to his cock. He became instantly hard.  
It was far from the first time that he got an erection from thinking about Kurt. It was actually always Kurt’s name that spilled over his lips whenever he masturbated lately – which thanks to the same boy happened a lot. However, at those times Kurt was either in Rachel’s room or not around at all.  
Now Kurt was only behind a door that leaded directly into his room and he could be finished with showering any minute now. He impossibly could help his problem in the traditional way; with the way Kurt was feeling, it also would be highly inappropriate in more than one way.  
As if it were planned, the shower stopped. Panicked, Blaine set the tray on his desk and fled to his bed, grabbing his guitar on the way.  
He tried to think of non-sexy thoughts as he mindlessly strummed the snares: his great aunt Madge’s sloppy wet cheek kisses, Rachel’s animal sweaters and having to perform sexual actions on female body parts. It actually helped until the door of his bathroom opened. A cloud of hot fog preceded the emerging of a godlike human being. At least that was how Kurt looked to Blaine right now; he completely took his breath away. The Dalton shirt he had given him, fit him way too well and despite the fact that it wasn’t skin tight, it still showed of Kurt’s slightly muscular upper body. The pyjama bottoms hung low on his hips, even showed a bit of hipbone, and sat very snug around his pretty, little butt. Adding damp, tousled hair and Kurt pretty much had sent Blaine into heart-failure.  
Blaine pulled the guitar deeper into his lap to hide his very present boner and presented an honest smile to Kurt.   
“How do you feel?”  
“So much better,” Kurt sighed contently. “A hot shower was just what I needed. Thank you.”  
“For you, always,” Blaine answered short and truthfully.  
Kurt stared at him for a second and answered him with a little shy smile. Blaine could barely contain himself from adulating all over Kurt’s adorableness. So instead he pointed at the tray on his desk.  
“That’s for you. There’s more left, so if you’re still hungry, I can go downstairs and get you more.”  
Kurt nodded and seated himself at the desk. Blaine on his turn lined his guitar up and started playing Katy Perry’s Firework, but just hummed to the music. He tried not to look at Kurt too much, because his erection was going down and he wanted to keep it that way.  
What he couldn’t have prevented from happening was hearing Kurt and the noises that came out of his mouth were…well, simply put erotic. Kurt literally moaned as he practically inhaled big bites of the macaroni pie and his face showed pure bliss.  
“Blaine, this is so delicious,” he exclaimed ecstatic. “Did you really make this?”  
“Y-y-yes,” Blaine squeaked with a high pitched voice. Embarrassment hit him when he realised that he couldn’t keep his emotions in control and that his erection was more evidently present than before.   
“You’re so going to cook for me sometimes,” Kurt stated, making it more of demand, rather than a request.  
“Sure,” Blaine chuckled. “I’d love to.”  
Kurt froze in his eating. It quite surprised him that Blaine easily jumped into it like that when he was merely joking.  
“Okay,” he stammered.  
Blaine winked at him and continued playing. Kurt watched him in silence as he ate and smiled brightly every time Blaine glanced over at him with his adorable puppy eyes.

-oOo-

You’re done eating,” Blaine suddenly said, making Kurt look at his plate; it was indeed empty. Kurt couldn’t even remember clearing it.  
“I guess I am.”  
“Do you want to talk now? Or do you want more?”  
Kurt shook his head as he put his plate back on the tray and grabbed the mugs and thermos.  
“It was delicious, but I’m quite full. Talking sounds very appealing right now. Tea?”  
Blaine nodded and started to pour tea for the both of them. Blaine took the advantage of Kurt having his back to him, to put his guitar down and flee into his bathroom. The room was still hot and steamy from the shower Kurt took. Add the fact that he already spent a lot of energy on dealing with a throbbing erection, and it was clear he wasn’t in the most comfortable position.   
He lowered his jeans and boxers down to his ankles, grabbed his cock firmly in his hand, and started stroking and pumping on a fast tempo as silent as he could be. He tried to be quick of course; Kurt was waiting for him after all.  
His eyes fell on the shower, causing and image of Kurt standing there naked with water running over his smooth, pale body to flash before his eyes; it was just that extra edge he needed to give him the release he longed for. Kurt’s name rolled over his lips in a strained whisper, followed by inaudible repeats of the same name.  
“What are you doing to me, sweetheart,” he mumbled, as he quickly cleaned himself up and changed into a pair of shorts he had laying in there. He also exchanged shirts, threw his day clothes in the hamper and left the bathroom.   
He felt rather ashamed for what he did while Kurt was waiting right there, needing him more than anything. His guilt trip enlarged when he saw him on his bed, curled up into a little ball.  
“Oh Kurt,” he thought. “I wish I could give you the world right now.”  
“That’d be nice, but all I want is for my bullies to disappear.”  
“Did I say that out loud,” Blaine asked a little embarrassed.  
“Yes,” Kurt answered softly with a little smile on his face. “Don’t worry. I thought it was cute. I don’t hear that a lot; or at all.”  
Blaine frowned as he walked towards his bed and climbed on it to lie down next to Kurt. Kurt smiled brighter when Blaine turned on his side to face him and even more when Blaine put a protective arm around him.  
“Well, you totally should, because you deserve the world. No, you deserve the whole universe,” Blaine stated. His heart fluttered when Kurt bashfully looked away and scooted closer. Kurt didn’t seem to mind. He actually seemed to enjoy it, and appeared to relax when Blaine lay back so he could rest his head on Blaine’s shoulder.  
“What happened?” Blaine asked then, nuzzling his nose into the brown strands of hair tickling his jaw and cheek. “Did they hurt you again?”  
“Surprisingly, no,” Kurt sighed. His hand toyed with the soft fabric of Blaine’s t-shirt, right over the spot where Blaine’s heart was. Despite the fact that he felt anxious and sombre, the feeling of Blaine’s thumping heart was very soothing and it was a welcomed feeling.  
“I don’t know why, but this morning the boys from my Glee club decided to openly step up for me against the jocks. They confronted them and told them to stop bullying me.”  
“Kurt, that’s amazing!” Blaine exclaimed enthusiastically, hugging Kurt and pumped a fist into the air. But he slowly back down when he saw that Kurt was still sad; even sadder maybe. “What’s wrong? This is good right?”  
“It is. It really is. It’s only what I’ve been hoping would ever happen.”  
“But?”  
“It escalated sickly fast and there was a huge fight. Karofsky – Blaine cringed internally at the name. He hated David Karofsky with a passion after all the stories Kurt had told him. He usually didn’t judge people he’d never met, but Karofsky was the biggest exception possible – slammed Mike, who fell on top of Artie, who fell out of his wheelchair. Mike sprained his ankle because of it. He’s a dancer; dancing is his life and now he can’t do it. Artie got really nasty bruises from the fall. Sam and Finn attacked right after that and that ended in a huge brawl. They got a few punches in, but Sam got a black eye out of it, Finn a split lip and a bloody nose and Noah’s got quite a few bruises too.”

Kurt bit back his tears, and took a deep breath. He pressed his face deeper into Blaine shoulder, seeking warmth and security. A choked sob passed his lips. It lead to Blaine tightening the arm he had around him and that gave him the extra push to continue talking without crying too much.  
“There’s Rory. They pick on him a lot to begin with. He wasn’t even present during the argument and fight but they pushed him in and against lockers at least three times as much as they usually do. Just because he talked to me; he just wanted to ask me something about a Glee assignment. Some guys from the football team got injured too and they’re all blaming me, so everyone who hangs with me, gets plagued by them too.”  
“Oh Kurt, you know you’re not to blame.”  
“Of course I am!” Kurt yelled furiously as he flew up. Blaine followed his lead to try and calm him down again, but Kurt was having none of it. He slapped away the hand Blaine ran over his arm. The encouraging words from the other boy just caused him to cry angry tears. Not directed at Blaine but at everyone in school who every wronged him for being himself.   
“The boys went after the jocks because of me; because of who I am. If it wasn’t for me, there wouldn’t have been a fight. No one would’ve gotten hurt or bullied and-”  
“Shut up, Kurt! Shut up! Shut up! Do you even know what you’re saying?” Blaine yelled back. He grabbed Kurt by the shoulders, not caring if Kurt was trying to wiggle out of his grasp, and shook him hard as if he literally was trying to shake some sense into him.  
“I know exactly what I’m saying, thank you very much,” Kurt spat. He managed to shove Blaine away from him. With a huff he got up from the bed and paced through the room, his eyes voiding Blaine’s at all cost. Blaine was having none of it and chased him, making Kurt back up until he was trapped between the door and Blaine himself. Blaine slammed his hands against the door, each on one side of Kurt’s head, and look at him in rage.  
“You don’t know what you are saying. Because what you are saying is that it is entirely my fault that Rachel cried years over my pain.”  
“No I-”  
“What you are saying, is that it is my fault that my parents stressed every single day of my senior year in middle school.”  
“No, no.”  
“What you’re saying, is that it is my fault Rachel feels so lonely while I’m at Dalton.”  
“Blaine, please stop. I didn’t-”  
“What you’re saying, is that it is my fault the boys at Dalton had to spend so many time on making me feel at easy and help me forget everything that happened.”  
“Stop it!” Kurt screeched now. With every accusation, he sobbed and cried harder. More tears streamed over his pale cheeks. “That’s not what I said.”  
“You did so, Kurt,” Blaine hissed back. He was crying now too, and that hurt Kurt. It hurt them both.  
“According to what you just said, all those things were my fault; that if it wasn’t for me, all those things wouldn’t have happened.”  
Kurt just shook as head as he cried louder. Blaine deeply sighed, fisted Kurt’s shirt and yanked him against his own body. The other boy instantly wrapped his arms around him and buried his wet face into his neck. Blaine cradled his head with one arm and clutched his shirt with the other. He tried to cease his own tears but failed overall.   
“I’m sorry,” Kurt cried. “I’m so sorry.”  
“I know you are and I know you didn’t actually mean it like that. But it hurts hearing you talk like that Kurt,” Blaine answered with a raspy voice. His sharp inhales and shaky exhales were reminiscing of the first time he cried in front of Kurt. Only this time Kurt himself was the cause of his tears and it was beyond unsettling for him.   
“You and I, we’re supposed to be proud; proud of whom we are. It’s what keeps us above all those homophobic assholes.”  
“I know,” Kurt whispered hoarsely.  
“Your friends, they knew what they got into. From what you’ve been telling me about your school, you Glee members always seem to be under attack by those jocks. There would’ve been a fight whether they were defending you, or any other member. I agree that it sucks to see people get hurt, but it’s not your fault that those jocks refuse to respect who you are.”  
Kurt nodded from where his face was still hidden in Blaine’s neck. Blaine, who’d noticeably calmed down already, affectionately stroked his back hand and made sweet soothing sound. He gently coaxed them back to the bed, which wasn’t easy with Kurt being unwilling to let go of him. It made Blaine feel bad for prying him off, but he needed a second to be able to lie down on the bed. Kurt jumped in right after him and curled up deep into Blaine’s side. Blaine only smiled and draped his duvet over the both of them.

“Want me to tell you a little story? Somewhere last year, I went to see a movie with a bunch of Warblers. When it ended, we decided to grab a milkshake before heading back to school, and we ran in two guys from my old school. They were two of my main bullies in middle school, who even knocked me into the hospital. I’ve told you that before.  
“So these guys saw us and started mocking us in general for being prep school boys and looking like fags in our uniforms. Then one of them recognised me and they both came on to me, saying that besides being a filthy homo, I was also a coward and a wimp, and that they were glad I was no longer at their school to stare at their junk. David and Nick jumped in there and started defending me. Wes and Jeff stood by me to protect me and even Trent’s boyfriend, Matt, and a few other Warblers had gone against those guys.  
“A fight broke out. It ended quickly because the mall security was present in record time. Everyone who had fought had gotten a temporary ban from the mall. Some had received seriously blows. Just like your friend Mike can’t dance now, David couldn’t play soccer or do the Warblers’ routines for a few weeks. I felt so bad about everything. Guilty, because I thought it was all my fault. But all the boys made it clear that they came up for me because I was their friend, and they cared a lot about me. They would do it again without batting an eye.”  
A moment of silence fell in which Blaine glancing down to the boy in his arms. He swallowed deeply; any story from his past was hard to tell and they still bothered him when he did tell them. Kurt was looking right back at him with a painful yet caring flicker in his eyes, and stuck a hand out to stroke his cheek.  
“That’s so awful,” Kurt croaked. “From those guys I mean. Your friends are fantastic.”  
“I know, and I never take them for granted. Your friends are great as well though. Please see that, Kurt. They may not be as vocal or physical about as mine, but by standing up for you the way they did; they prove that they do very much care for you. They wouldn’t have lifted a finger if they didn’t.”  
Kurt turned more towards Blaine, leaning his head deeper against Blaine’s shoulder and wrapping his arm tighter around his chest. He couldn’t oppress a smile.  
“I know they care. It’s just hard to see them get hurt.”  
When Blaine hummed in agreement, Kurt shifted again and looked upwards from here he was lying against his best friend.   
“How about you? Would you take a punch for me?” he whispered teasingly.  
“I’d take a bullet for you, Kurt. Hell, I’d even catch a gren-”  
“Blaine Berry-Anderson, if you say grenade and start singing the song, I swear to McQueen our friendship will end right here and now!”  
“No!” Blaine yelled and laughed out loud. He coiled his arm around his friend and dramatically clung to Kurt’s shirt. Kurt giggled and tried to push him off, but that made Blaine only wail and hold on even more. Eventually Blaine relaxed and leaned his head against Kurt’s. His heart leapt when Kurt looked up because of it; looking into those yes always did major things to his feelings.  
“Can I sing to you, Blue?” He chuckled when Kurt frowned and opened his mouth to protest. “Not Grenade. I promise. When those guys harassed me and the boys fought for me, they sang Bridge over Troubled Water to me afterwards. I want to sing something else to you, because we both know we’re always there for each other, no matter what. I don’t need a song to tell you that.”  
Kurt nodded and stroked Blaine’s chest, as to give him an okay. Blaine took a deep breath and started singing.

Made a wrong turn, once or twice  
Dug my way out, blood and fire  
Bad decisions, that’s alright  
Welcome to my silly life

Kurt instantly recognised the song. It choked him up because some of the lyrics hit home, and they did every time he heard the song. With eyes shut tight, he listened to the words in Blaine’s soothing voice.

Mistreated, misplaced, misunderstood.  
Miss 'No way, it's all good', it didn't slow me down.  
Mistaken, always second guessing, underestimated.  
Look, I'm still around.

He bit away the urge to cry, but ended up failing. The tears crept slowly of his cheeks, accompanied by soft sobs. When Blaine reached the chorus, he cupped his cheek and nudged his face up again; practically forcing him to look him straight in the eyes

Pretty, pretty please don't you ever, ever feel   
Like you're less then, fucking perfect   
Pretty, pretty please if you ever, ever feel   
Like you're nothing you're fucking perfect, to me 

The passion and sincerity he found in those honey-coloured beauties, sent shivers through his spine. Hadn’t he fallen for Blaine long ago, he surely would’ve now. Blaine sung with extra emphasises to every ‘you’ and ‘fucking perfect’. It was impossible not to notice – not even for Kurt – that Blaine actually meant every word when applied to Kurt.

You're so mean when you talk about yourself; you were wrong.  
Change the voices in your head; make them like you instead.  
So complicated, look happy, you'll make it  
Filled with so much hatred, such a tired game.  
It's enough; I've done all I can think of.  
Chased down all my demons, I've seen you do the same

Kurt could hear the hurt in Blaine’s voice when he sang those words. That stung him as well. No wonder; they fought about exactly that less than ten minutes ago. They’d talked about it merely two days ago at the lake. This was almost a plea; a plea to Kurt to finally believe him. To be as proud of himself as Blaine was of him. He slid his fingers over Blaine’s hand still resting on his face and slipped them between his, tangling and squeezing their fingers together. Blaine gave him a teary smile; he returned it.   
Blaine proceeded to sing the song. When he reached the chorus again, Kurt joined him. He was taken aback for a split second, then easily shifted into harmony mode. As it was drilled into him, making him the experienced Warbler that he is, he dropped his pitch and made sure his voice flowed smoothly alongside Kurt’s. The two of them sounded as great together as they always did. The raspy edge in Kurt’s voice, caused by his crying, actually made it sound more interesting.   
They laughed and stumbled their way through the rap, before falling back into the final chorus. They finished the song on the same note, while staring deeply in each other’s eyes, surrounded by dead silence. Kurt smiled thoughtfully and moved deeper into the space between Blaine’s shoulder and neck, while he whispered thank you to him.  
“What’s on your mind?” Blaine asked, as he brushed a few strands out of Kurt’s face.  
“It’s the first time I’ve heard you sing,” Kurt replied dreamily.  
“No it isn’t,” Blaine frowned. “You’ve heard me sing plenty of times. Those times we did karaoke with girls or when we sing along with musicals. And you always comment when I sing or hum during our Skype chats and -”  
“I know, Blaine. But that’s not what I meant. I’ve never heard you sing like this. So open, fragile. So full emotion; it was frighteningly good. I understand now why the Warblers always have you lead.”  
Blaine grinned, feeling shy yet flattered.   
“Thanks. You sounded amazing too. Who knew the fabulous Kurt Hummel could rap.”  
Kurt blushed and lightly smacked Blaine’s arm.   
“Will you sing me another song, B? I really like Bridge over Troubled Water. Mercedes once sung that to me when she took me to her church.”  
Blaine – of course – could not resist such a request and sang the Simon & Garfunkel classic to his crush, making sure he laid every bit of feeling into it like with the first song. When he was done with it, he found Kurt dozing off to sleep. He sighed and connected his lips to Kurt’s forehead.  
“Goodnight, Blue.”  
“G’night, B,” Kurt mumbled back sleepily. 

-oOo-

While he figured that somewhere this night, he’d either have to move to the guest room or ask his parents to help him move the mattress from the bed in there, to his room – it isn’t necessarily heavy but very impractical to move on his own. Whenever his friends stay over, they need three to move it – but for now, he wouldn’t move a single inch away from Kurt.  
He stared absent-mindedly to the ceiling, humming Snow Patrol’s Chasing Cars, while stroking Kurt’s back at the same time. Near the end of the song, he was convinced Kurt was fully asleep.  
A few soft knocks came from the door. He didn’t answer it, but the door still opened and his sister’s head popped through the opening.  
“Hey sis,” he greeted her. That was enough for Rachel to know she could enter. She opened the door further and shuffled her way to the bed. She plopped down next to Kurt, place her hand on the sleeping form of her friends, and it was now that Blaine could truly see how worried she was. A spitting image of their surrogate mother, he thought.  
Some movement in the corner of his eyes caught his intention, and it was then when he noticed Tina and Mercedes lingering in the threshold.   
“Please come in, ladies. I don’t bite.”  
Tina threw Mercedes an incredulous look, which Mercedes met with a grin.  
“He’s always that polite,” Blaine heard her whisper. “It’s like he’s from another time.”  
The girls sat down on the edge of his bed and Rachel took advantage of the moment of silence to speak.  
“Is everything okay with Kurt? We wanted to give you time to talk, but then we heard you guys screaming at each other.”  
“And singing,” Tina added. “It sounded marvellous.”  
Blaine wanted to reply with, “Kurt is marvellous,” but managed to keep his lip. He was fairly sure Rachel knew he wanted to say that, judging the eyebrow she raised.  
“Kurt and I had a falling-out. But we solved it already, hence the singing.”  
“A falling-out? You two?” Rachel asked astonished.  
“Yes, Kurt was…speaking badly about himself and I didn’t like it. He told me how the boys from your Glee club fought with other guys and got hurt because of him. Sprained ankles, bloody lips and noses and stuff and he’s taken the guilt for all of it on him.”  
“Oh my god!” Rachel gasped, clasping both of her hands over her mouth. “That was sort of my fault. I rallied all the Glee girls with boyfriends to urge their significant others to talk to the bullies. It’s obvious they go after Kurt more than after any other of us and he suffers so much. I never intended for a fight to break out, but the boys have no regrets. They all said so when we talked about it.”  
“When did you guys talk about it?” Blaine asked; his head snapped up from where he was studying Kurt’s facial features.   
“Right after Glee club,” Mercedes answered. “Kurt left as soon as Mr. Shuester called practise to an end.”  
“If he stayed and heard, he wouldn’t have felt the way he does,” Tina said sadly. She reached over and stroked Kurt’s leg in a motherly way. “It’s not all that bad though. The guy, who sprained his ankle, is my boyfriend. We went to the emergency room after school. It wasn’t that bad. They wrapped his ankle and he needs to cool and rest it, but he should be on his feet in a week or two.”  
“Yes, and the other guys are pretty tough too. They’re confined to ice packs for the rest of the day, but they’re fine,” Mercedes filled on. “Poor baby,” she sighed and took Kurt’s hand in hers.  
“We need to sit down with him tomorrow and have this conversation again,” Rachel concluded. “But for now, I think we should stop. It feels rather wrong and uncomfortable to me to talk about him with him sleeping right here.”  
Blaine nodded in agreement and cradled Kurt’s body further into his arms. The girls exchanged knowingly smirks, but said nothing about the over-obvious love Blaine was showing for their friend.

“Do you guy have plans for tomorrow?” Blaine asked in general.  
“Not really. We thought about going for lunch and then hanging at mall or seeing a movie,” Rachel shrugged. “Why?”  
“Can we have a bake-a-thon instead?”  
“A bake-a-thon?” Tina asked confused.  
“It’s something we and our parents have been doing for years,” Rachel explained. “We stock up on ingredients and spend the entire day baking pies, cupcakes, macaroons, pancakes, waffles, all kinds of cookies, scones, bread and what not more. Usually we sing a lot and eat up a lot of cookie dough. It’s a lot of fun.”  
“Exactly, sis. Kurt has told me he likes to back as stress-relied and he could use the distraction.”  
“A bake-a-thon it is then,” Mercedes smiled.  
“Yay! I’ll ask Dad and Pa for some money and we’ll go grocery shopping in the morning. It’ll be so much fun,” Rachel squealed excitedly. She bent down and kissed Kurt on his temple, before leaning over him to peck Blaine on his cheek. Mercedes and Tina both kissed Kurt on his cheek and hugged Blaine goodnight, and all three of them sneaked out of the room.

-oOo-

Shorty after the girls left, there was somebody knocking on Blaine’s door again. This time his parents stepped into the room; both of them wore a grave, worried frown on their face. It made them look so much older than they actually were. It reminded Blaine of the days they looked like that on a daily basis, caused by the endless period of time he was bullied in and having to watch their child suffer.  
“Hey kiddo,” Bryan said softly. He sat down next to his son, while his husband sat next to Kurt.  
“Did you guys talk? Do you know what happened?” Liam asked concerned.   
“It’s that school,” Blaine hissed furiously. “Rachel has it bad, but Kurt has it so much worse just because he’s gay. This is the second time this week he’s come to me in tears. He shares so many awful stories with me and they’re getting worse. It’s breaking him.”  
He looked up to Bryan with watery eyes and then to Liam. He was unable to talk anymore.  
“It’s killing you to see him hurting,” Bryan said for him, and brushed a hand through his son’s hair.  
“Exactly.” It came out of Blaine’s mouth as a soft broken whisper. At the moment he wanted nothing more than to crawl into one of his fathers’ arms to catch the warmth and safety he always felt as a fourteen year-old boy. But there was no way in hell he was letting go of Kurt right now.  
He chose to turn to Kurt, tugging his sleeping friend just that little bit closer and nuzzling his nose a bit deeper into his soft hair. Kurt unconsciously moved the hand that was resting between them and laid it around Blaine’s waist. Blaine gasped when he felt it, then blushed because he was having insanely inappropriate thoughts around his parents. However neither dad noticed anything about what might be going on in Blaine’s head; Bryan was too busy cooing over how adorable the boys were being and Liam playfully rolled his eyes at his husband.   
Suddenly Kurt squirmed, frowned deeply and twitched weirdly. A long, soft cry came out of his mouth, as well as the words ‘no’ and ‘stop’, and he twitched even more. Blaine reacted quickly by rubbing over his back and whispering some soothing things into his ear. Kurt calmed down and just rested again against Blaine  
“Blaine, do his parents know about anything that goes on at McKinley?” Liam asked after he witnessed it all go down. Blaine thought well about it and shook his head.  
“I don’t know. Now that I think about it, we’ve never discussed his parents. I don’t think they know though.”  
“Do they accept him?” Bryan asked curiously.  
“Not any less than you accept me.”  
“Well then we just have to figure out in the morning if his parents know and why if they don’t. We’ll let you sleep now. You seem to need it just as much as Kurt.”  
“Can you help me drag the mattress of the bed in the guest room in here?” Blaine yawned, confirming he was indeed tired. Liam and Bryan exchanged a look, nodded to each other and turned to Blaine.   
“You can stay with him,” Liam smiled.  
“What!” Blaine gasped dumbstruck. Did his parents just give him an approval for sharing his bed with another gay boy? One they are most likely aware of he has a lot of feelings for.   
“Look what just happened. If he’s anything like you, that was a definite guarantee for nightmares. He’s going to need you if that’s indeed the case,” Bryan explained.  
“We trust the both of you not to pull any shenanigans. And do realise that no matter how much we like Kurt, you two sleeping in one bed is not going to be a regular thing,” Liam added sternly.   
Blaine chuckled but nodded at his dads. He yawned again; it wasn’t even midnight yet, but the rush of various emotions had drained him. His parents took the hint and got up from his bed.  
“In the morning, we’d really like to talk to Kurt. You can join if you want to. Kurt might need you as moral support,” Liam said.  
Blaine nodded again and snuggled deeper under the covers, moulding his body against Kurt’s. Both men gave their son a goodnight kiss and left hand in hand. Before they were well out of the room, Blaine had already closed his eyes. Bryan shut off the lights and closed the door behind him.  
“How much do you want to bet those two are going to end up together?” his husband beamed as soon as he turned around.  
“I’m not going to bet you on that.”  
“Why not?”  
“Because I’ll lose if I bet against it,” Bryan winked. He kissed his husband full on the lips and dragged him to their bedroom at the end of the hall.


	13. Chapter 12 part 1

When Blaine opened his eyes, the morning had already set in. Sunlight crept through the split between his curtains. He rubbed his sleepy eyes and brushed a hand through his tangled curls, discovering he was strangely prevented from stretching out his body. There was quite some weight atop of him.  
He gazed down and was met with a bush of brown hair; his best friend was splayed all over his chest, clinging to him like a little kid to a stuffed animal.  
He could’ve sworn Kurt had turned away from him after his last nightmare attack. He had woken up three times to find Kurt crying and whimpering in his sleep. Not to mention that he trashed and struggled a whole lot. Blaine was positive there were quite the amount of bruises on his legs from all the kicking Kurt had done.  
Still he smiled brightly as only a fool in love could.   
It wasn’t the first time he had woken up next to another guy – his friends had no problem sleeping next to him. They actually frequently fought over who got to take the empty space in his comfortable bed – but it was definitely the first time he had woken up tangled and snuggled up with another guy. And it was the one guy he was in love with too. It was one of those moments that made one want to belt out the first few lines of Bohemian Rhapsody.   
He laid there for a while; lazily stroking Kurt’s back and watching him sleep peacefully, despite the creepy Edward Cullen feeling it gave him.   
Suddenly Kurt began to stir on his chest. He smacked his lips, moved his legs – which were laced with Blaine’s – and finally opened his eyes. He seemed quite confused, until he shifted his head upwards. His eyes twinkled as he smiled sleepily at Blaine.  
“Hi,” he whispered hoarsely.  
“Hey you,” Blaine whispered back. “Good morning.”  
“Good morning to you too. How’d you sleep?”  
“Okay. More importantly, how did you sleep?”  
Kurt frowned at the nature and tone of the question, and ended up sighing, “I had nightmares again, didn’t I?”   
Blaine nodded.   
“You don’t remember?”  
Kurt shook his head.  
“If they wake me up, I do. But else, not always.”  
“My legs remember,” Blaine snickered teasingly.  
“Oh my God,” Kurt gasped horrified. “Did I kick you? I'm so sorry!”  
“Blue, I'm fine. Don't worry,” Blaine reassured him. He lazily stroked Kurt’s hair. Kurt hummed satisfyingly and rolled a bit on his stomach, so he could look at Blaine without straining his neck too much.  
“My parents want to talk with you.”  
“I didn't get you in problems by falling asleep here, right? I totally take full blame and-“  
“Kurt, stop! Don't worry, they gave an approval. It's not about that, it's about the situation you're in with school and bullying. They’re going to try and help you.”  
“Really?” Kurt breathed. Blaine nodded to which Kurt replied with a sigh of relief. Kurt rested his head on Blain's chest again. They talked softly about some random things; like Blaine's dreams (he was at an amusement park with a cute guy. They went in all kinds of scary rides and the cute guy always held his hand - Yes, Kurt was the cute guy, but he didn't need to know that.)  
The talked about the songs they sung last night and other songs they liked. They talked about Dalton, and they chatted about the positive sides of McKinley. Nothing bad was brought up; not from the night before, not from ever. They were having a good morning so far, there was no need to spoil it.   
“We should go downstairs,” Blaine suggested after a while. Madonna’s Vogue was echoing through the house, so he knew his parents were awake already. He was really curious to what they had to say to Kurt.  
“Don't want to yet,” Kurt pouted. He rolled away from Blaine, turning his back to him. Blaine kicked the duvet of him and jump atop of Kurt, who let out a few high pitched giggles. His hands disappeared under the t-shirt Kurt was wearing and tickled the boy in his sides.  
“Stop! Stop! Stop!” Kurt shouted, as he squirmed under Blaine.  
“Then let's go!” Blaine smirked, fingers on hold but ready to tickle again in case Kurt said no.  
“Can I at least brush my teeth first?”  
“ Yeah sure,” Blaine sighed.  
“And a shower?”  
“You're pushing me Hummel!” he growled, but Kurt pouted those pink lips. And those eyes, they could convince him to commit a murder. He got off Kurt and the bed and scooped his friend without any warning into his arms. Kurt squeaked adorably when Blaine lifted him into the air, and held his arms tightly around Blaine as he carried him to the bathroom.  
He put Kurt on his feet by the sink both, laughing when Kurt playfully hit his arm. Both of them grabbed their toothbrush, and reached for the toothpaste at same time. Their hands brushed against each other, causing them both to pull back; which was absolutely crazy, they both figured. They have held hands so many times. They even hold hands when they're just sitting together; whether they’re at home, the Lima Bean, or the mall, despite judging looks. This shouldn't be this awkward!  
So Blaine took the initiative to take the tube, and handed it over to Kurt.  
“Here you go first,” he smiled, making sure his fingers touched the soft skin of Kurt’s hands.  
“Thanks,” Kurt giggled back.

They brushed their teeth while exchanging rather flirty glances, and giving each other teasing pushes. They finished around the same time, but Blaine was faster and moved to stand behind Kurt.   
“Where are your car keys?” He had wrapped his arms around Kurt’s waist and had rested his chin on Kurt’s shoulder, so he could look at him via the mirror.  
“Why do you need my car keys?” Kurt asked him confused after he spit out the last bits of toothpaste out of his mouth.  
“I’m going to get the bag with extra clothes you keep in your trunk,” Blaine shrugged casually.  
“You don’t have to do that. I’ll get them later and change clothes then,” Kurt cooed, running his hands over Blaine’s.  
“Kurt, where are your car keys?” Blaine demanded with a low, growly voice; completely ignoring Kurt’s proposal.  
“Blaine…”  
“Kurt! Car keys! Where?”  
Kurt sighed, but caved in.”  
“Left breast pocket of my coat.”  
“Nice! Be right back,” Blaine chirped. Before Kurt could worm in another word, Blaine was gone. He used the moment alone to finally and fully freak out over the fact that he had slept next to Blaine and had woken up all tangled up with him. Those sleepy hazel eyes, that bed hair and that little, cute grin being the first thing he saw in the morning, did things to his feelings he didn’t know were possible. He would do about anything just to see that image again, if only for once.  
Apparently his daydreaming took up a lot of time, because Blaine was back in no time with Kurt’s sport bag strapped on his shoulder.  
“Thank you. You are a sweetheart. Stubborn, but sweet,” Kurt laughed, adding a little peck on Blaine’s cheek.   
Blaine merely smiled and handed Kurt his bag.  
“Do you have any clothes in there you don’t mind getting dirty?”  
“Why?”  
“Well, I talked to the girls last night and we decided on having a bake-a-thon today. I don’t know about you, but I always manage to get batter and flour on me. So if you want to, I could give you a shirt of mine.”  
Kurt’s face lit up at the mention of a bake-a-thon and then softened when Blaine offered to save his clothing. The clothes in his bag certainly weren’t his favourites - hence why they were in the bag all the time – and he usually was very neat during cooking and baking. But why would he pass up on wearing Blaine’s clothes? He was still wearing Blaine’s t-shirt and sweats and they smelled so much like him. He had actually planned on coming up with an excuse to keep them on; that wasn’t necessary anymore.  
“That would be wonderful,” he breathed excitedly.  
“Okay,” Blaine replied. “Give me a second.”  
He disappeared out of the bathroom, only to reappear with a black v-neck shirt and a Dalton Academy hoodie.  
“In case you get cold,” he explained. “I’m going downstairs to let my dads know we’re awake and that you’re coming. You go and take a shower, okay?”  
Blaine got himself an armful of Kurt as answer. The taller boy hugged him tightly, as he himself blinked in surprise. His mind didn’t quite process what was going on.  
“You’re the best friend ever, B. I can’t express it enough!”  
“You’re welcome,” Blaine smiled sadly, buried his face deep into Kurt’s neck to prevent him from seeing his broken face. They held each other a bit before Blaine pushed him back into the room with a fake grin plastered on his face. He left right after; a sigh spilled over his lips while the words ‘best friend’ repeated themselves once again in his head.

-oOo-

When Blaine entered the kitchen, he walked in on Bryan dipping Liam to ‘Here Comes the Sun’ from the Beatles and going in for a quick kiss. Both men sung loudly along, riding high on a cloud of love for their husband.   
“Good morning,” Blaine croaked awkwardly. The two elder men greeted cheerily back, while Liam grabbed him and twirled him. Blaine shook his head with a snicker as he was passed on to his other father, who twirled him right back.  
“Where’s Kurt?” Liam asked. He stopped his giggling son from spinning around the room and guided him to one of the stool at the kitchen island, so he wouldn’t tip over from dizziness.  
“In the shower. He’ll come down to talk when he’s done. He’s glad, but very nervous. He never had an adult really do something for him. I think he’ll be happy with every bit of help you can give him.”  
“And we’re glad to help him as much as we can,” Bryan said, as he patted his son shoulder. “But tell me buddy, what’s up with you? You look very shaken up.”  
Liam, who placed a cup and the coffee pot in front of Blaine, nodded in agreement, and casted a concerned gaze upon him. Blaine looked back and forth between is parents. He sighed heavily and let his shoulders drop down.  
“I am,” he admitted softly. “Waking up today was…intense.”  
“Because of Kurt,” Liam asked.  
Blaine gulped and stared straight ahead; the events of merely half an hour ago, replayed vividly in front of his eyes.  
“He was just lying next to me. Then he woke up and as soon as he looked at me with those blue eyes, I was gone. I was completely gone. It surprised me I could talk to him normally, because I could barely think. I only knew that I wanted to wake up like that every day for the rest of my life. Kurt, he…he…he is everything.”  
Bryan walked over to his son and wrapped his arms around him. Blaine wasn’t necessarily crying, but he was definitely tearing up and leaned against his father with a muffled sob.  
“We know, honey. We know,” Bryan whispered, as he started to stroke Blaine’s springy curls.  
“How?” Blaine wondered out loud.  
“If the way you held him last night wasn’t an indication, than the way you look at him certainly is. It’s like he’s the most beautiful person you’ve ever seen; like he’s the most precious thing on earth. It’s like the way your father and I have been looking at each other for the past 24 years.”   
Blaine grinned through his tears and ducked his head away behind his hands, trying to hide the fact that his cheeks were as red as tomatoes. His parents laughed, while Bryan released Blaine in favour to hug his husband from behind. Liam quickly whipped his head back to capture Bryan’s lips in a sweet kiss, before they directed their attention to Blaine again.  
“Ahw, Lee, our baby is on love!”  
“I’m not that bad,” Blaine mumbled.  
“Yes you are,” Liam teased amused.  
“You guys suck!” Blaine groaned. However, after a little bit of pushing from his fathers, he confessed to being very much in love and told them about when he knew; how Rachel knew and how he refused to confirm anything to her. He ended up spilling how much he wanted to ask Kurt out, but got down every time the best friend stamp got jammed on him; how his friends loved Kurt and the many times he tried and fail to kiss him.  
Liam and Bryan watched him as he was a romantic comedy playing on TV, and patiently let him catch his breath whenever he needed to. When Blain ended up all the way to the moment where he left Kurt in the bathroom, Liam stepped around the kitchen counter and hugged his son.  
“That’s quite the story, kiddo. I’m not going to push you to anything, but know we totally approve of him if you do manage to ask him out; which you totally should do. Best friends fall in love too. Sometimes those relationships are even better because you know each other so well already, and there’ll be more depth to your relationship because of it.”  
Bryan reached over the counter and took Blaine’s hand in his.  
“Just go for it. You’ll never know of it’ll work, unless you try it. Diving into a relationship for the first time is scary, but it can be so worth it.”

“Kurt won’t be my first boyfriend,” Blaine frowned. He gasped and clasped his hand over his mouth when he realised he’d just revealed the existence of a boy Blaine never wanted his parents to know about. He knew he had some serious explaining to do when he saw his parents exchange stunned glances.   
“What do you mean, Blaine?” Liam asked suspiciously.  
“I’ve already had a boyfriend before,” Blaine mumbled softly and embarrassed. He didn’t want to say more, but his parents clearly expectantly waited for more. So he rambled as fast as he could, “his name is Sebastian. He goes to Dalton with me. We dated last year and he’s a senior now.”  
“How come we’ve never heard of him? You always tell us everything!” Liam demanded, with a strong hint of disappointment in his voice. Blaine heard it and curled up.  
“When we started dating, he begged me not to tell anybody under the pretence of it being a new relationship. I thought I could surprise you guys by bringing him home some day, but we broke up before we even hit one month. I was so hurt and humiliated, that I never spoke about him after we were through,” he told bitterly.  
“Why were you humiliated, baby?” Bryan asked concerned.  
As answer, Blaine poured out the same story Rachel told Kurt, involving the vicious Sebastian Smythe and model-wannabe Jeremiah van der Berg. Liam and Bryan ended up shocked beyond believe. Just the fact that they never noticed that Blaine had gone through this without them noticing anything, made both men feel ashamed for calling themselves parents. It was something that was obviously still bothering Blaine; his face said more than enough. The way his fingers were clutching around his coffee cup in order to contain his anger said even more.  
Liam carefully pried the cup from his son’s fingers and slipped his own hand in its place. The encouraging squeeze he gave him, caused Blaine to hold his breath for a brief second, before he slowly breathed out; trying to regain his calm. He was about to slum against Liam, when a soft hesitant voice spoke.  
“Hi, good morning.”  
Blaine’s head snapped up and turned so fast, that he nearly gave himself a whiplash. But all it took was one look for Kurt to stride over and wrap Blaine in his arms. Liam gently tapped Kurt’s shoulder, leaning towards him at the same time.  
“We’re going to sit at the dining table. Take your time, have something to eat and drink. You know where everything is.”  
Kurt nodded and watched the two men leave hand in hand, not missing the trouble frowns they carried.

“What happened?” he asked as soon they were alone.  
“I accidentally mentioned Sebas…taboo. That thing you and I agreed was taboo. And they asked me about him and I told them the short version of everything that happened; which is basically everything you know too.”   
“Oh honey,” Kurt pouted, hugging Blaine a little bit closer. If the situation wasn’t as sad as it was, he’d probably internally freaked over Blaine burying his face so deep into his neck, that he could feel his hot breath and warm lips on his most sensitive skin. It all disappeared so quickly though, because Blaine realised what he was doing. They may have an unspoken rule of being allowed to invade each other’s personal space at any given time, but neither of them had the right mindset for such contact.  
“I’m sorry. I’m making this about me and my dated issues. We’re supposed to be spending attention to you,” Blaine sobbed with a chuckle.  
“Don’t say that, B,” Kurt huffed sternly. “You’re still bothered by what happened back then. So you deserve someone looking after you too. Your problems aren’t inferior to mine, nor are mine to yours. We’re going to have breakfast and talk to your parents about what’s happened to the both of us, and then we’ll have the entire afternoon for the bake-a-thon.  
“You’re so amazing,” Blaine mumbled.  
“What?” Kurt asked confused. The mumbling was a little bit too incomprehensible.   
“I’m so excited!” Blaine said now, much more clearly. He sat up straight on the stool, giving Kurt the opportunity to move and thus to move between Blaine’s legs. He let his back rest against the arm Blaine still had around him, and hung his arms loosely around Blaine’s neck.  
“I am too,” Kurt smiled. “Thanks again for the clothes by the way.”  
Blaine only took notice of Kurt in his clothes and wow, he was definitely going to suggest activities, for which Kurt needed to borrow his clothes more often now; because damn, Kurt look capitol-H hot.  
“You’re welcome,” he managed to croak. His mouth went dry when he felt Kurt’s fingers slide into his free curls and warm lips connected to his cheek, dangerously close to his lips.  
“We should eat,” he stuttered as he hastily jumped up, almost knocking Kurt against the counter. If he hurt him, he wouldn’t have known, because Kurt simply smiled and took his spot on the stool. “What would you like? I’m making breakfast.”  
“What do you have, kind sir?”  
“Well,” Blaine said as he walked around the counter and stood opposite of Kurt. He leaned over it and gave Kurt a teasing smirk. “I can make cereal.”  
Kurt giggled loudly, which made it hard for Blaine to keep a straight face.  
“Oh hush, you. As I said, I can make cereal. Sandwiches. Not the fancy kind you find in stores and cafés, but they’re certainly edible. I can bake pancakes and waffles, although we’re already going to bake so much later. And I can make a damn good grilled cheese and an even better Croque-monsieur, if I say so myself.”  
Then he leaned over even closer, while motioning to Kurt to do the same. He went as far as to stand on his toes so he could whisper Kurt in his ear.  
“Don’t tell the boys at Dalton, but if we have the dough for it, I can make some delicious crescent rolls. I sometimes bring some from home to school, and I have to tell them Rachel makes them, or else they’ll force me to bake them every day.”  
Kurt giggled again and pulled back.  
“Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me. Do you have the dough right now?”  
“I think we do. Let me check.”  
Blaine went to the refrigerator and easily dug out two cans of dough. Before he could ask Kurt if he wanted them, Kurt was batting his eyelashes at him and pouting the hell out of his lips.  
“You want them,” Blaine assumed.  
“Pretty please?”  
“Crescent rolls for Kurt Hummel, coming up!”  
He swiftly started working; getting the dough out of the tin, rolling it out, cutting the shapes out and rolling them up, after adding some spices and grated cheese as his secret ingredients. He’d only prepared two when he felt a pair of hands grip his hips. A body smoothly pressed against him and a chin was rested on his shoulder.  
“Do you want to help? It’s really easy.”  
“I just want to watch you making them first, if that’s okay.”  
“Of course!”  
They remained in the same position practically the entire time. Kurt eventually helped making the last three, though he’d rather kept holding Blaine. Reluctantly he let him go, after Blaine pointed out the crescent need to go in the already preheated oven.

-oOo-

“Now something to drink,” Blaine said more to himself then Kurt, which probably was the reason he didn’t hear Kurt, when he said that some juice or tea was fine. Instead, he ran back and forth between cabinets, collecting mugs and various bottles and jars, while Kurt watched him peculiarly. When he sat everything down at the coffee machine, it was clear to Kurt that he was making some sort of coffee, but he didn’t see what kind.   
Kurt was fidgeting with his fingers and humming along half the song playing in the background, when Blaine shoved one of the mugs right under his nose.  
“It’s most likely not as good as what they serve at the Lima Bean, but I hope it tastes good anyway.”  
Curious as could be, Kurt took the mug, waited a bit for the steamy content to cool off and carefully took a sip. His eyes popped and shone bright as soon as he recognised the taste.   
“Is this mocha?”  
“Non-fat!” Blaine grinned, nodding at the skim-milk on the counter. “Mine’s a Caramel Macchiato. I forgot to buy new coffee to make my precious drip.”  
“How do you know to make all of this?”  
“Last year during the summer, Rachel and I went to stay with our aunt in Chicago for two weeks. Our cousin works at Starbucks and she showed me how to make a couple of drinks. She sends me a box with various bottles of syrup and packs of coffee every few months, so I can keep trying myself.”  
Kurt smiled excitedly and high fived his friend.  
“Wow, that’s really cool. And as for my coffee; it tastes really good. We could totally save up on Lima Bean costs.”  
“Nope,” Blaine argued, shaking his head. “I don’t make coffee at Dalton. Same story as with the crescent rolls. Seriously, my friends wouldn’t let me have a life. But we could make an exception now and then and come here, instead of going to the Lima Bean.”  
“Soooo…” Kurt smirked as he put his mug on the counter, also taking that of Blaine’s out of his hands to set it next to his. He then took Blaine’s hand and drew him in closer, so he could coil his arms around Blaine’s waist. “Since you do make all that for me, am I allowed to call you my personal barista?”  
Blaine giggled adorably, running his hands up and down Kurt’s arms, before he rested them on Kurt’s chest.   
“Unfortunately, I often make coffee like this for my dads, and I can bribe Rachel with a Soy Vanilla Latte at any given time.”  
“They’re all family. That doesn’t count.”  
“Okay, then I’m your personal barista.”  
“Nice. “  
Blaine chuckled at the timid reaction. He rested his head on Kurt’s shoulder, facing away from the other boy. He tried to hide his disappointment. He didn’t just wasn’t be Kurt’s personal barista; he just wanted to be Kurt’s, and he wanted to be able to call Kurt his.  
Suddenly Kurt jumped up and with a squeal and pointed at the iPod docking station, which began playing Beyoncé’s Single Ladies.   
“This is my jam,” he exclaimed. He promptly slipped away from Blaine and ran to the device to set the volume higher. He then dragged Blaine to the side of the kitchen, claiming he was going to teach him the steps.  
Blaine had a hard time doing so, because there was nothing in the world more mind-blowing than Kurt using his hips. It seemed like they weren’t even attached to the rest of his body. The way he was gyrating them, swinging from side to side, and back and forth; it was surreal and oh so hot.  
After the third rerun of the song, he finally got out of the hypnotic grasp of Kurt’s sensual body and got into the steps.  
“So now you’ve got to poke your hip out and tap your butt,” Kurt said while doing the moves he explained.   
“Okay,” Blaine chirped. Only, instead of following the steps, he reached over and smacked Kurt’s butt.   
“Blaine!” Kurt shrieked with a laugh. He tried to slap him on his arm, but Blaine dashed away to the other side of the kitchen island. Kurt chased him right away, which resulted in the two running laps around the kitchen island. 

The beeping of the oven, signalling their crescent rolls being done, distracted Blaine long enough for him to slow down. In the fraction in which he didn’t pay attention, Kurt jumped on his back, almost knocking them both to the ground. He managed to keep his stance and held Kurt securely by his thighs. It wasn’t actually necessary; Kurt had his legs tightly clammed around his hips and arms around Blaine’s neck. He wouldn’t slip away were Blaine to let go.  
“Got you,” Kurt giggled in his ear and nuzzled his nose in the curls right above it.  
Blaine turned his head toward him, blushing when his cheek was kissed.  
“You totally have me,” he whispered, the tone in his voice hinting subtly at a double meaning – because he was completely Kurt’s, whether Kurt was aware of that or not.   
Kurt hopped off way too soon for his liking, and slapped him firmly on his butt.   
“I totally deserved that. But it was so worth it!”  
“Perv,” Kurt muttered amused. They worked together on getting the crescent rolls out of the oven and into plates. The remainder went into the cutest little bread basket Kurt had ever seen, for anyone else who liked. They ate their breakfast at the kitchen island in a comfortable silence.  
The emptier their plates got, the heavier their nerves became. By the time their plated and mugs were empty and cleaned, both of them were trembling all over.  
“Are you ready for this?” Blaine asked softly.  
“No. You?”  
“No.”  
“We’re going to do this though?”  
“Together, Let’s go.”  
They exchanged a long hug – a really, really long hug – and laced their fingers together. Kurt kissed Blaine’s cheek swiftly; Blaine returned it and leaded his crush to the dining table, where his parents were already waiting.


	14. Chapter 12 part 2

“Hey kiddos,” Liam smiled when he saw his son walking into the dining room, hand in hand with his best friend. He felt for them, seeing the both of them so nervous. “Have a seat.”  
He pointed at the two seats opposite him and Bryan. Blaine and Kurt both gulped in perfect sync, before Blaine tugged Kurt closer to the table. They each sat down, and entwined their hands immediately again. Kurt was as pale as a sheet and Blaine looked like he was about to throw up.  
“Woah, calm down. Both of you,” Bryan chuckled, though there was clear evidence of worry in his voice. “I know this might be uncomfortable to talk about, but we’re here to help; not judge. There’s no rush, we can take all the time you need.”   
The two boys nodded to Bryan, who then focused on Kurt alone.  
“Can you give us an image of what happens to you in school? Rachel comes home a lot with stained clothes and headaches caused by slushies, but I doubt that’s the only thing that makes you upset. Blaine told us you had it a lot worse.”  
Kurt huffed almost at the thought of slushies of being the only threatening thing, but he didn’t want to seem rude when these men were trying to be there for him.  
“Slushies happen to everyone in the Glee club. It is almost like an initiation right for new members. So no, that’s not what makes me upset. What does is that I cannot go to my locker or pass one between classes, without being slammed against one by jock. A few times I’ve been picked up and literally thrown against them.”  
The mouths of the two men across from them fell wide open, their eyes bulging out as they tried to process what they just heard. Blaine, of course, had heard similar stories before, but he seemed paralyzed by shock nonetheless.   
Kurt avoided all of their stares and gazed at the table instead. He couldn’t help but to feel slightly uncomfortable while telling his stories, even though nobody else in Ohio would understand him as much as the people in that room could.  
“I…ehm…I can’t go on the parking lot alone. Whenever I do and there are a bunch of jocks around, they’ll toss me in the dumpster, because ‘fags belong in the trash’.”  
Blaine’s hand tightened its grip on Kurt’s, while Liam’s face darkened. Kurt figured that what he was telling must be reminding them about the things they went through themselves. He didn’t know whether he should continue or not, but Bryan was nodding an okay; so he did.  
“Back when I had gym class without my friends, they’d always kick me out of the locker room. They thought I would ogle all the boys if I was there. Now some of my friends are there and they’ve managed to stop that. The bullies still make loud, obnoxious comments like, ‘I better cover up, or else the fairy might jump me’.   
“Since they can’t throw me out of the locker room, they try to kick me out of the bathrooms, telling me my place is in the ladies room. They actually threw me through a glass door one time, because I refused to leave. They’ve defaced my locker many times; I’ve found notes with threats and hateful slurs between my stuff. The jocks openly insult me; others just do it quietly or give me nasty looks. I’ve had my clothes stolen and dyed pink once. I-“  
“STOP!”  
All eyes were directed at Blaine. The curly haired boy sat quietly in his chair. His eyes were closed and he trembled heavily. To say he was shaken up would be a severe understatement.  
“B?” Kurt whispered. He squeezed the hand that was laced with his and enclosed his free hand over them.  
“Please? Just stop….awful memories,” he muttered. Kurt responded right away with a warm and tight hug, hooking an arm around Blaine’s shoulders and dragging him against his chest. Blaine wasn’t crying, but he was definitely sniffling and lightly sobbing.  
“Are you okay, sweetheart?” Bryan asked. He and his husband held each other and looked at the two boys with similar worried expressions.  
“I’m fine,” Blaine murmured into Kurt’s shirt. “It just hits way too close.”

“Don’t your teachers do anything?” Liam asked sadly to change the mood a bit. Kurt shook his head.  
“It’s like Blaine once told me about his old school. That if you’re gay, nobody really cares and you just have to deal with it. Most teachers really don’t care much about anything. They either hang out in their class rooms or in the teachers’ lounge. They’ll stop a fight if they see one, but that’s about it.   
“The only two who actually care are my Glee club teacher, Mr. Shuester, and the football coach, Ms. Beiste. Coach Beiste isn’t in the halls near enough to see the bullying, because she’s always so busy with her team and their games. I don’t have a bond with her, and I don’t have any physical proof of the bullying other than my bruises, so I don’t feel like I can just step out and ask her for help.   
“Mr. Shuester isn’t always around either because he’s always so busy. He’s taken me to the principal a few times so I could tell my story. But then the principal makes some sort of excuse and Mr. Shue gives up, because he has another Glee kid knocking on his door or grading and competitions to worry about. Our student counsellor is also a nice lady, but too often she tries to solve things with pamphlets. She’s given me a list of hotlines for kids like Blaine and me, but those people only listen and can’t change McKinley.”   
“It gets better, just not anytime soon,” Blaine added on a mocking, monotone voice.  
“I can’t believe we’re sending our daughter to that school,” Bryan hissed to Liam.  
“She wanted to, remember. Stay on topic, babe.” Liam replied with a forced smile, obviously not liking the idea of Rachel going there now either. He reached over the table, requesting Kurt’s hand. Kurt hesitantly slipped it into Liam’s and relaxed when the older man gave him a reassuring pad.

“Kurt, what do your parents say about this? Blaine told us they accept your sexuality.”  
“Oh they most definitely do. But I haven’t told them anything about what’s going on at school, so they don’t know. Well, they know about the slushying, because that happens to my brother as well, but they are unaware of the rest.”  
The three Berry-Anderson men waited in expectation for the rest. Bryan even made an impatient hand gesture, which made Liam scold at him. It never failed to amuse Kurt to see them interact as an old married couple. The soft snicker coming from the person next to him aided to his inner laughter. So he gave Blaine a light kick under the table and continued with his story.  
“My dad is sick,” he announced. “Around the beginning of this year he had a heart attack and while he has recovered for the biggest part and is working close to normally again, I don’t want to set him back. He can’t stress too much. If I tell him what’s going on, he’ll flip out and I don’t want him to have another heart attack. I almost lost him last time, so I don’t even want to know what damage a second heart attack could do. I’ve already lost one parent; I’m not ready to lose another one.”  
“Of course you aren’t, “Bryan, who’d lost his own father on a very young age, sympathized. “And I understand your concern about him. What about your step-mother though? Have you considered telling her?”  
“Oh I have. Carole is the sweetest woman you could imagine and I can talk to her about pretty much anything. But I know her well enough to know that there’s no way she will be able to keep this from my dad. She’s aware something is up, but I always brush it off as being stressed or tired. Usually she doesn’t believe me, but she doesn’t pry either.”  
Liam and Bryan started discussing something among themselves. So Blaine leaned towards Kurt, placed his head on Kurt’s shoulder and wrapped an arm around him.  
“It’s going to be okay, Blue. Things came alright for me. They will for you too. You deserve it.”  
“Thanks B. And thank you for not saying you’re sorry. People would usually do that.”  
“I know. It would seem a little bit hypocritical after last night.”  
“It would, yes.”  
Blaine chuckled, and grabbed Kurt’s hand. He laid it on his lap and spread it open. With his finger he drew something on the palm of his hand. At first Kurt didn’t get it, but after a few repeats, he figured it out.  
“Courage. You’re writing courage, aren’t you?”  
“Yes,” Blaine grinned.   
“You’re such a dork!”  
“A good kind of dork?”  
“The absolute best kind.”  
Blaine beamed proudly. Kurt loved it when Blaine tried to contain a big smile because he looked so cute when trying – and failing – to hold his happiness in. He spread Blaine’s hand open and drew something for him too. Blaine concentrated deeply on what he was doing, trying his best not to look at Kurt’s face.  
“Brave?” he gulped.  
Kurt nodded a confirmation. That set off a little game where they took turns writing encouraging words on each other’s palms like: sweet, smart, fabulous, adorable, bright, wonderful, Incredible, Invincible, unique and magical. Blaine now and then teased Kurt with long, difficult words, earning a little smack every time Kurt figured it out.   
Kurt opened Blaine’s hand again and wrote. It was long, but not a difficult word like Blaine expected. Actually, it was not one but three words. Best friend ever.  
Blaine responded by drawing a simple heart in Kurt’s hand. Kurt blushed so bad that he was convinced he’d never had more colour on his skin. Despite that, he opened Blaine’s hand and drew a heart for him too.

“Kurt?”  
Bryan interrupted them, ignoring the annoyed huff his own son sent his way.   
“Listen, we need to have a talk with a friend of ours, who’s a lawyer, to see if any legal actions can be taken against the school. In the meantime it might be best if you and us sit down with your stepmother and tell her what’s going on.”  
Kurt opened his mouth to protest to the second part of Bryan’s proposition. Liam, ever in sync with his husband, held his hand up to stop him and easily continued where Bryan had left.  
“We know why you don’t want your stepmother to know. But we’re going to need her help to bring this to your father.”  
Now both Kurt and Blaine shouted protests; Blaine even louder than Kurt.   
“BOYS! Liam snapped. The boys fell silent, though not without remaining furious. “Kurt, it’s very admirable the way you think of your father’s health, but he needs to know. He might be your only biological parent alive, but don’t forget that you’re his only biological son as well. If things at school seriously get out of hand, he wouldn’t know what was going on in his son’s life. It could hurt him just as much, if not more. Plus, as much as we’d love to help you, it might come to things that require your father’s approval. It doesn’t have to happen today, tomorrow or even next week. But it has to happen; the sooner the better.”  
Kurt was quiet. He didn’t look at Blaine’s dads, nor at Blaine. Neither men could figure out what was going on in his head, but they all waited patiently.   
It took a short while, but Kurt whipped his head up and smiled at Bryan and Liam.  
“Okay, I’m up for it.”  
Liam and Bryan grabbed each other’s hand, sighing relieved. Both were very much delighted. Blaine glowed with pride and swung and arm around Kurt.  
“I need some time to prepare for this though. I don’t think I can just talk about this to my dad,” Kurt pouted.  
“Of course! And I’ll help you,” Blaine reassured him. Liam smiled and Bryan nodded along.  
“You’re not happy?” Blaine frowned when Kurt didn’t respond to him or his parents, and still carried his pout. Kurt turned to him rather confused at first. He blinked a few times and then shook his head.  
“I’m happy, B. I really am. It just…has to sink in. Things are most likely going to change; most likely for the better. That seemed so impossible just yesterday. It’s a lot to take in. But I’m happy and so grateful.”  
Blaine glowed with pride once more, which made Kurt blush, which made Blaine giggle, and then Kurt giggled, and then they were just stuck exchanging loving and adoring gazes, until Bryan subtly coughed and the boys snapped out of it.  
“Your turn,” Kurt whispered to Blaine, as he caressed gently over his hand.  
“His turn for what?” Liam asked curiously.  
“To talk about that rotten, measly, good-for-nothing meer- , ahum, I mean Sebastian. I thought that if he finally could bring himself to talk about it, he’d get less angry whenever Sebastian comes up as a topic.”  
“You know?” Bryan asked surprised.  
“Rachel told me but it was a short version,” Kurt shrugged. Then he turned to Blaine and gave him an encouraging smile. “Hopefully you can tell us the long version. I’m awfully curious. But only if you really can.”  
Blaine gulped, straightened his back and took a deep breath.  
“I think I can…I have to.”  
So Blaine opened up to his parents and the angel on his side, who not once let go of him and who didn’t judge him one little bit, no matter how embarrassing the story got. There was a lot of anger, accompanied by tears. There were needed breaks for crying and regaining his calm. Breaks in which Kurt unlinked their arms, just to wrap him in a warm hug.   
In the end, he had to admit that he felt so good. Kurt was right. Getting everything of his chest felt freeing. There was no guarantee Sebastian and everything about him wouldn’t make him blow up ever again, and his general anger towards his ex didn’t evaporate, but he felt better; like it was easier to deal with now.   
Liam and Bryan listened patiently to everything their son had to say. In the end they actually offered their apologies for never noticing what happened to him, and for not being there when he obviously needed it.   
Blaine waved it off, claiming he purposely never spoke of it. It turned into a discussion about who was right in this. Kurt broke it up by saying nobody was in the wrong, and that no one should be angry at anybody else but Sebastian. The Berry-Anderson men agreed and the conversation concluded in a long, emotional group hug. 

Blaine excused himself to go take a shower. He felt the need to go wash things off, hoping to flush the negative feelings left from the discussion. No matter what Kurt said, he would keep feeling guilty for not telling his parent after all the worry he’s already put them through years ago. They didn’t deserve to be excluded. So he made a mental note to talk to them more often on his weekends at home.  
He was so occupied by his thoughts, that he never noticed Kurt sneaking behind him and catching up to him when he was at the bottom of the stairs.   
“Hey!”  
Before he was well back to conscious, Kurt had taken a grip on his slim hips and brought him closer. Blaine automatically slipped his hands around Kurt’s neck and let himself be hugged.  
“I’m so unbelievably proud of you, B!” Kurt murmured, nuzzling his face into the wild curls on Blaine’s head.  
“Not as proud as I am of you, Blue.”  
“Don’t turn this into a competition, ‘because you’re going to lose, Anderson. Take a damn compliment!”  
Blaine giggled and sighed, resting his head on Kurt’s shoulder.  
“After I’ve taken my shower, will you please cuddle with me on the couch until the girls return from the store.”  
Kurt tsked him and flicked the tip of his nose.  
“Like you need to ask, silly. Go, I’ll wait for you.”  
He kissed Blaine on his forehead and shooed him up the stairs with a firm slap on his ass.   
“I’ll get you back for that,” Blaine smirked, as he teasingly wiggled his ass before skipping to the next floor. Kurt laughed and went back to the living room. While he waited for Blaine to come back, he answered a few texts he’d gotten the day before from Brittany and Finn, who both were super-concerned since he had left Glee practise, and mass-texted all the guys to thank them for standing up for him and to apologise for getting them hurt. Like Blaine told him about his friends, the boys of New Direction each confirmed it was what they would do for all of their friends and that there was no blame on him. Puck even called him one of the bro’s.  
But the entire time, he couldn’t shake this weird feeling off of him. So when he was done texting, he went down to the basement where he knew Blaine’s parents were preparing the room for a gathering with their friends.  
“Excuse me? Liam? Bryan?”  
“Hey Kurt,” Bryan chirped, as he placed candles on a table. “Is there anything we can help you with?”  
“I wanted to ask you a question actually. I extremely appreciate all the help you’ve offered me, but I can’t help to wonder why you would do it. I’m not your son. I’m not even family. You have no obligations or anything…”  
Kurt clearly looked at loss by the actions of the older men. They, however, smiled in endearment at him, blown away by how humble he was being.  
“Come sit for a second,” Liam said as he guided Kurt to the couch. He sat next to him, while Bryan chose to lean on one of the tables.   
“Well, one of the reasons we decided to help you, is simply because we’re parents. We felt like this is what we’re supposed to do as parents with kids of your age. Especially after we’ve seen what Blaine went through, and after experiencing what I’ve been through as a teen. I know how though it can be without good support,” Liam explained.  
Bryan reached over and took his husband’s hand to place a soft kiss on the back of it. Liam flashed him a thankful and smitten grin. Kurt blushed a bit; he couldn’t help feeling like he was witnessing something very intimate. At the same time he dreamt that this was how his life was going to be thirty years from now, with Blaine.   
“There’s more, “Bryan said, tearing his eyes away from his man. “Kurt, I don’t know if you’ve noticed this for yourself, but you have changed both of our children by coming into their lives; for the good that is. First Rachel was positively out of her mind when she finally found a true friend at your school and in this town. She hasn’t had any other than Blaine since we’ve moved here. And now Blaine is the happiest we’ve ever seen him. It’s almost like he’s become a different person. Also because of you. We have some much joy watching our kids lately Doing this for you is the least we could do to show our gratitude.”  
Kurt, baffled as could be, attempted to respond in a mature and wise manner, but actually found himself unable to actually utter a sense-making word after what he just had heard. How could he? How could anyone after hearing how much impact they’ve head on someone else’s live?  
Bryan clapped the silent boy on his shoulder and gave him an approving nod.   
“You’re a great kid, Kurt. Don’t let anybody ever tell you otherwise, okay.”  
“I-I w-won’t,” Kurt stammered in response. At the same time, a voice called him from the level above.  
“Blue? Blue? Where are you?”  
Of course Blaine wouldn’t be Blaine if he didn’t turn it into a little song. The three of them could hear him sing the short phrase over and over again as he moved around the floor above him.  
“Go,” Liam laughed as he gave Kurt a push towards the stairs. “And don’t forget what we said!”  
“I won’t! Thank you so much!”  
At the top of the stairs, he ran into Blaine, who was about to go down.  
“Hey, what were you doing down there,” Blaine asked, holding his hand out to Kurt. The latter threaded his fingers through Blaine’s and let himself be taken to the living room.  
“Talking to your parents, but now I’m all yours.”  
Blaine had to bite his lip to prevent himself from letting out a euphoric cry, even though he knew Kurt didn’t mean it like he wanted it to. He lay down on the couch, on his side, completely pressed against the back rest. Kurt settled down next to him, also on his side so they were facing each other. As his legs hooked themselves around Blaine’s, he let his hands cup Blaine’s face and caressed him lovely.  
“What are you thinking about?” Blaine whispered. His hazel eyes struggled on focussing on Kurt’s gorgeous blue eyes. His lips, shaped in a dreamy grin, looked so soft and delicious; he wanted to kiss them. Instead he let his arm fall over Kurt’s waist and pulled him closer, until he was almost on top of him.  
“Nothing,” Kurt answered softly. He leaned in and kissed Blaine on his cheek, right next to the corners of his mouth. “You just make me ridiculously happy.”  
Blushing, Blaine pecked Kurt on his forehead and combed his hair with his fingers.  
Likewise, Blue! Likewise!”


	15. Chapter 12 part 3

When the girls had gotten home from their early morning shopping trip, they had found the two boys all tangled up on the couch; faces so close as they whispered to each other, that it would take no effort for them to kiss. But they didn’t, much to the disappointment of everyone except Tina, who wasn’t aware of the relationship between them. Though, she was very surprised to see the usually so reserved Kurt that close to someone.  
But then the maternal instinct in all the girls had kicked in and they had stolen Kurt away from Blaine – boy, Blaine was pissed – to hug him and check if he was alright. They also told him everything that was said by the Glee club, like they and Blaine had agreed to do. Kurt had told them about the text exchange with the boys, but still seemed visibly relieved. They all then moved to the kitchen to start of their bake-a-thon.  
So now the group was busy in the kitchen, while one of Blaine’s Michael Bubblé albums played in the background. Tina and Mercedes were decorating the rainbow cupcakes they had made. Rachel was making batter for vegan cupcakes, which would go into the oven right after her vegan chocolate cake was done – the others weren’t too keen on the idea, but she, backed by Blaine, promised they were actually really good.  
Kurt was at the stove, making delicious banana and apple beignets after his stepmother’s recipe, while Blaine had his arms coiled around him and his chin perched in his shoulder, watching him bake. Between pouring batter into the pan and turning the beignet, and between turning the beignet and removing them completely, Kurt would let himself fall against Blaine’s chest. His hand would find a way into Blaine’s hair to bury itself inside of the curls, which Blaine took as a sign to hold him closer and cuddle with him a bit more intimate than just before. The girls sneakily watched them now and then, but the boys were completely wrapped up into each other in their own world and didn’t notice a thing.  
Blaine nuzzled his nose in Kurt’s neck, causing him to giggle like a little girl. Kurt tried to bump Blaine away with his butt. He just didn’t put any really effort in it and actually just ended up even closer to Blaine’s body.  
“Hey! Don’t burn those beignets,” Mercedes warned, while snapping her fingers.  
“We won’t Cedes,” Kurt sighed. He twisted his head so he could press a tiny, teasing kiss to Blaine’s jaw.  
“That one is burning right now,” she threw back dryly. The boys looked at the pan in shock, and burst out in laughter when they saw that the poor beignet was indeed burning. Kurt used a slotted spoon to remove it, as Blaine awkwardly bent behind him to kill the stove. He grabbed Kurt’s hand and led him to the garden door.  
“Girls, we’re going to take five. We’ll be right back.” In a barely audible whisper he added, “Or not.”  
The girls watched them disappear into the garden and heard them argue before the door fell shut behind them.  
“B, it’s cold outside.”  
“Hush, I’ll keep you warm.”  
“Ugh, okay. But if I freeze to death I will haunt you for the rest of your life!”  
“Fine by me.”  
Then they couldn’t hear them anymore.  
“Okay, what is up between those two,” Tina asked practically immediately. “Are they dating?”  
“Kurt has admitted he’s in love with Blaine. Blaine’s friends have told us Blaine’s admitted he’s in love with Kurt as well. But they don’t know about each other feelings. They both are either super oblivious or deeply in denial about the feelings the other could have. And on top of that they managed to get friend zoned beyond believe,” Mercedes explained, while Rachel nodded along. “But they are ridiculously affectionate for people who are just friends. They simply can’t keep their hands to each other.”  
“Whenever one goes the other follows. They’re like magnets – always drawn to each other,” Rachel continued as she poured her batter into a muffin tin. “Always hugging, cuddling and kissing. They’re closer to each other than to anyone else on this planet. Heck, they’re even closer and more affectionate than any of us are with our boyfriends,” she smirked.  
“I’m pretty sure they’re soulmates,” Mercedes sighed. Rachel hummed in agreement.  
“Definitely soulmates.”  
The three girls sneaked over to the window looking out over the garden, and saw Blaine and Kurt in the gazebo in the back. Kurt was visibly shivering, with the hoodie Blaine had lent him providing little warmth. So as Blaine promised, he enveloped his arms around his crush and let him snuggle up.  
Kurt must have said something funny because Blaine laughed hard and Kurt was snickering. Blaine then invited him to sit on the bench in the gazebo. It was big enough to easily fit three people on it, yet Kurt graciously dropped himself in Blaine’s lap and Blaine didn’t mind one bit.  
Mercedes closed the blinds and shooed Rachel and Tina from the window.  
“Let’s give them some privacy. If something happens, Kurt will let us know for sure.”  
“B-b-but,” Rachel stuttered, pointing outside.  
Mercedes gave her one stern look, which was enough to make the petit girl back away. All three girls went back to their original tasks, discussing Blaine and Kurt animatedly. 

Over fifteen minutes later, the boys finally dripped back into the kitchen; Kurt up front with Blaine following him hand in hand. They quickly apologised for taking so long – it was so giggly brought, that the girls doubt it was sincere – and Kurt went directly to the stove to finish the beignets.  
“Blainey, could you start preparing cookie dough,” Rachel asked her brother sweetly, after he had followed Kurt to the stove.  
“What! But Rach…” Blaine protested frantically, motioning to Kurt behind said boy’s back. It couldn’t be clearer that his plan was to cuddle right back up to him.  
“Boy, what is up with the two of you and ‘buts’ whenever someone asks you to do something?” Mercedes groaned. “Is it a family thing?”  
“Well, three out of four of them are gay,” Tina shrugged absently. She didn’t even take her eyes of the cupcake she was decorating with fondant butterflies and butter crème.  
The four other teens in the room stared at her astonished and baffled for a moment, before Blaine burst out in laughter. Kurt joined him soon and his ever contagious laugh infected the girls.  
It was Kurt and his gorgeous, winking eyes, who got Blaine to join the girls at the island to make cookie dough.  
Blaine was always responsible for making the cookie dough, and his experience caused him to work fast and efficient. By the time he had his first batch of cookies in their second oven, and he was making chocolate chip dough for his second batch, a banana beignet was being held in front of his face by someone standing behind him. He took a big bite from it and literally moaned when the taste of it exploded on his tongue. It earned him a scandalised scowl from his sister and smirks from Tina and Mercedes. Kurt just grinned with a blush and gave him a squeeze in his upper arm.  
“You’re done already?” Blaine asked amazed.  
“I didn’t have that much apple pieces left. I just got the last one out.” He paused and went to stand next to Blaine. “So you like them?”  
“Like them?!” Blaine cried softly to not to disturb the conversation the girls had going on. “I absolutely love them and I’m going to steal them all for myself.”  
Kurt rolled his eyes and poked Blaine in his belly. He tried his best not to be faze by the hard abs he felt – he totally understood Tina’s obsession with her boyfriend’s body ever since the first time he had touched Blaine’s stomach.  
“You are like my brother. You guys eat sweets and snacks all day. Where do you leave it?”  
“Well it certainly wasn’t me who got a third piece of cheese cake at the last sleepover,” Blaine shot back with a mocking smirk.  
“Cheese cake is everything!” Kurt snapped. A sassy handshake and a snap of the fingers was all Blaine got, before Kurt turned his back on him to look for ingredients for gingerbread cookies.  
“I know and so does your ass,” Blaine laughed. He took a bit of flour in his head and smacked it on Kurt’s butt, leaving a perfect handprint behind.  
Kurt yelped high and loudly. He regained his posture very fast and huffed at Blaine. With a foul smirk he arched his back and very provocatively shook his ass like a professional video girl.  
“You’re just jealous of my perfect money maker, Anderson!”  
Blaine’s brains malfunctioned completely. His eyes and mouth were wide open and not a single sensible word came out of him. With a giggle, Kurt took some flour between his fingers, flicked it on Blaine’s nose and pecked him on the cheek. Point for team Kurt!

-oOo-

Two hours or so later, Kurt and Blaine had whipped out a few batches of various cookies. Rachel and Mercedes had made even more cupcakes in different flavours and Tina was making macarons.  
The Ben Howard album Blaine had put up after Michael Bublé had finished already. There was this unwanted silence suppressing the mood; everyone felt it and no one liked it. So as she was adding food colouring to her batter, Tina started singing the first lines of Dog Days Are Over by Florence and the Machine. Mercedes sang the next; Rachel those after and Kurt the next. They kept alternating until the chorus, where they switched over to a stunning harmony.  
The song continued while Blaine stood quietly at the counter, with the frosting he was making remaining half done in its bowl. He was frozen, stunned by how the four New Direction members sounded together. He knew how his sister sounded of course, and he’d gotten to know Mercedes and Kurt’s voices during karaoke, but he never heard them full-force like this. He left the frosting on the counter and sloughed against it.  
Nearing the end of the song, Kurt glanced in Blaine’s direction and noticed the petrified way Blaine gaped at them. It confused him immensely, though he waited until the song ended and the girls burst out in Shake It Out to walk towards his crush.  
“Everything okay, B?” he asked concerned, as his he grabbed the boy by his shoulder to try to force him into making eye contact.  
“No! We’re fucked!” Blaine stammered. Except for his mouth and eyes, which found Kurt’s, his whole face was frozen in the same stunned position. “We are so fucked!”  
“Who?”  
“The Warblers!”  
“The Warblers…eh…what? B, you’re making no sense. Why are the Warblers fucked?”  
Blaine grabbed Kurt in return, digging his fingers deep into Kurt’s arm. His face remained the same and it started to entertain Kurt.  
“You don’t get it, Kurt!” he croaked in panic. “If the Warblers win our sectionals and the New Directions will win yours, we’ll have to go up against each other at Regionals. Just listen to how the girls sound. They are terrific! And the last song with you was even better. I don’t even want to know how fantastic you guys would sound with the entire club. We’re going to lose, Kurt. We are fu-ucked!”  
He desperately grabbed his hair and slightly hyperventilated. Kurt watched him amused, though torn between giggling at the level of adorability Blaine was peaking at, or slapping him to sense. He ended up taking Blaine’s chin between his fingers and jerking his head in his direction.  
“Hey! Listen to me!”  
Blaine blinked at Kurt’s sudden dominance and then pouted a bit.  
“I’m not going to talk about the many factors within the New Directions that will definitely bring our quality down, because intimidation and fear is good. But what I will tell you is how amazing the Warblers are. You guys are pretty unique within the high school show choir field. And while you may not be the only a capella choir, you are definitely the only one who perform with the poise, class and confidence as only the Warblers can.  
“You guys aren’t fucked; you’re real competition. Not to mention that they have you. I’ve seen enough videos of you performing, remember? You are their star for a reason,” he smiled. You are my star too, he mentally added.  
Blaine dropped his head with a shy chuckle. He seemed at lost with the compliment at first, but he couldn’t keep corners of his mouth from curling into a grateful grin.  
“Thanks Blue.”  
Kurt nodded as a reply and leaned in to place a soft, love-filled kiss on Blaine’s cheek.  
“Always B!”  
“That’s my line!” Blaine scoffed, laughing hard as he hooked his fingers under the hem of Kurt’s hoodie to pull him closer.  
“So freaking sue me,” Kurt mocked back and pried Blaine’s fingers of the hoodie so he could bring their bodies together in a hug. His arms locked lazily around Blaine’s chest, while Blaine had is arms wrapped around his neck. They stood like that for a while, listening to the girls harmonizing some of Alicia Keys’ repertoire, until Mercedes called them out for not doing anything; causing them to reluctantly let each other go.  
Together they made a few bowls of different coloured frosting and moved back to the island to decorate their cookies. They worked silently next to each other, only glancing in the other’s direction now and then.

Suddenly Blaine got a plate with two cookies on it shoved towards him. One was a gingerbread man with dark blue frosted curls for hair to represent his own hairdo, and a tiny tie and blazer resembling the iconic Dalton Academy uniform. On the blazer, Kurt had drawn a yellow star-shaped medal, obviously a reminder of the conversation they just had.  
The other cookie was heart-shaped, completely filled in with pink frosting with the words ‘thank you’ scribbled on it in green. Blaine marvelled at them, before turning to his crush.  
“I get this awesome little fellow, but what’s the heart about?” he whispered to him as he leaned closer.  
“I know this bake-a-thon is you idea. Don’t ask me how; I just do. And it is exactly what I needed after yesterday. After this whole damned week actually. So thank you, sweety.”  
Blaine blushed at the new nickname and even more when Kurt playfully blew him a kiss. Shyly he blew one back, not easing down until Kurt held out a hand for him to intertwine with. Blaine did, but they both caught Mercedes glaring at them in the corner of their eyes. Blaine gave her a coyly wink, to which the girl giggled and shook her head.

-oOo-

With the boys actively helping out, they finished everything in a pretty fast time. They ended up with heaps of cupcakes, cookies and macarons, two cakes and an apple pie.  
Instead of having pizza, Liam and Bryan surprised the lot with sushi.  
During the setting of the dining table, Rachel discovered that she’d forgotten to buy soda when they went to get groceries that morning.  
“I’ll run to the store,” Blaine offered. He went to get his wallet from his room but returned to the dining room before he even got to the stairs.  
“Kurt, do you want to come with me?” He asked, though it was more a plea.  
“Sure,” Kurt answered surprised, putting down the cutlery he was holding. Everybody was snickering because of the flushed boys, who were paying attention to nobody but the other.  
“I need to change my jeans though, because you soiled these,” Kurt accused Blaine and presented his flour-covered butt for everyone to see.  
“Do I want to know why you, from all places, have flour there?” Liam chuckled.  
Both boys turned mad red. Kurt fled out of the room and ran upstairs, with Blaine chasing him on the heels.  
Not long after, they were walking down the street. Kurt had his arm hooked in Blaine’s. The wind was ice cold for the time of year and it was like an iceberg was bitch-slapping them, so they made sure to huddle together.  
Kurt moved in even closer to Blaine when another gush of wind passed them. They were continuing their Warblers vs. New Direction discussion, but in the back of his mind, his clothes kept him busy. Or better said, Blaine’s clothes, because almost everything he had one was borrowed from him. Blaine had given him a pair of skinny jeans so he could spare his extra clothes from getting dirty as well. He was also wearing a pair of Blaine’s oxford shoes, a coat of his, a beanie and a thick scarf, because his own coat and boots were still damp from the storm the day before. Add him wearing the underwear and hoodie he already had on from before and he was covered in Blaine from head to toe.  
“Blue, are you listening to me?” he suddenly heard, alongside a nudge in his side.  
“Oh…ehm…yeah. Sorry. Just a little bit distracted.”  
“Okay,” Blaine shrugged happily. “You’re fine though?”  
“Absolutely,” Kurt confirmed.  
“Hey look!” Blaine yelled, pointing to something of which Kurt couldn’t quite figure out what it was at first. Whatever it was got Blaine really excited. He was grabbed by the hand and dragged through the streets, until they stopped before a little shelter with firewood, next to the beginning of a driveway before a house. Someone had swept a big pile of autumn-coloured leaves under it and they had been spared for the biggest part of the storm, so they were nicely dry.  
Blaine wiped a few leaves from the top and took a dive on top of the pile.  
“Blaine!” Kurt screeched, half shocked, half amused.  
“Blue, come down here,” Blaine laughed. His face resembled that of a carefree five-year old. “Please Blue, come on!”  
He held his hand out to Kurt. After a short deliberation, said boy carefully accepted the hand, only to find himself getting yanked into the pile with quite some force.  
“You’re such an ass, Anderson,” he giggled when he lay down on his back and Blaine sprinkled a few leaves over him.  
“You secretly love me,” Blaine said teasingly.  
You don’t even know how right you are, Kurt thought as he rolled his eyes at Blaine. Blaine took his phone out of his pocket and opened the camera app.  
“Smile Blue!”  
Kurt gave him his dreamiest smile that turned Blaine in a puddle of goo on the inside. The beauty of Kurt, surrounded by the colours of autumn, made this his favourite picture ever and he made sure to immediately save it as his screensaver. Kurt took the phone from him and changed it to the front camera.  
He wiggled until he was completely against Blaine and pressed their faces together. He snapped a picture; they slightly changed and snapped another one. They did that about six times and Kurt made sure to forward each to his own phone right away.  
“These are so cute,” he cooed, while sinking back into the leaves.  
“They really are,” Blaine agreed, viewing the last one they took. He turned his head to Kurt to smile at him, right as Kurt had the thought of doing the exact same thing, at the exact same time. Suddenly they were aware of how close they actually were.  
“Ehm hi,” Blaine whispered, his eyes not leaving Kurt’s  
“Hi,” Kurt whispered back.  
Both of them unintentionally crept even closer. It was if a magnetic field was tugging them, and more specifically their lips, closer into a kiss. But before that could even happen, the door of the house the shelter belonged to was slammed open and an elderly man stomped into the garden with a broomstick in his hand.  
“You brats! I swiped that up yesterday! Get out of here before I call the police!”  
Blaine, who was already on his feet when he’d heard the door, helped Kurt with getting out of the pile and hand-in-hand they ran for their lives until they’d reached the supermarket, where they rested against a wall to regain their breath.  
“You are turning me into a criminal,” Kurt panted.  
“You loved the rush just as much as I did,” Blaine stated as a matter-of-fact.  
“I did.”  
“It was awesome!”  
“It was.”  
“Want to do it again?”  
“No!”  
Blaine’s eyes glistered with mischief; Kurt shook his head.  
“Nick and Jeff have the worst influence on you, you know?”  
“Oh, I know,” Blaine smirked wiggling his eyebrows knowingly.  
“Ugh, just walk, will you. You little rascal,” Kurt scolded and pushed him towards the entrance of the store.

By the time they returned, had dinner and made a tiny dent into the pile of sweets, night had fallen and the entire gang had retreated to Rachel’s room.  
Mercedes was teaching Blaine how to make corn rows, using Rachel’s hair for practice, while Tina and Kurt were singing and dancing together in circles around them to Good Morning from Singing in the Rain.  
Blaine’s phone went off in his pocket, flashing David’s name and a picture of him on the screen. He cheerfully picked up, but seemed sombre as soon as David had said a few things. The other watched him curiously – especially Kurt, who’d stopped dancing after he noticed Blaine’s grave expression – though they couldn’t make up what was going on.  
Blaine excused himself and left the room. The girls shrugged it off and went on with braiding Rachel’s hair. Kurt, however, couldn’t let it go as easily, since David was also a friend of his. He sneaked out of Rachel’s room and slipped to the next door, which held Blaine’s voice behind it. He was greeted by a surprised smile by Blaine, who was sitting on his desk.  
“Everything okay?” he mouthed, nodding to the phone while he walked over to him. Blaine shook his head.  
“Hold on, Dave,” he mumbled into the speaker and covered it. “He had a huge fight with his girlfriend and she said she’s thinking about breaking up with him. He’s really upset right now and asked me if I could come over, but-“  
“Go.”  
“But-“  
“B,” Kurt said softly. He reached out to Blaine and gently caressed his cheek. When Blaine leaned into his touch, he couldn’t help but smile. “He needs you. Go and be there for him. “  
“But you need me too,” Blaine protested in a sigh. “I can’t just leave you here.”  
“I’ve been hogging you since last night,” Kurt laughed sadly. “And it’s not like you will be leaving me alone. There are three girls out there waiting to take care of their cub.”  
They both laughed this time, but Blaine remembered he still had David on the line.  
“Hey bro, I’m coming over, okay. Gonna leave in five.”  
Kurt couldn’t hear David’s response, though the nod coming from Blaine probably meant something positive.  
“David says hi and thank you, and he owes you one,” Blaine said, after he and David said their goodbyes. He grabbed a backpack from under his bed and filled with sleepwear, underwear, a toothbrush and some products.  
“You’re going to stay there?” Kurt pouted, when he figured out the purpose of the bag.  
“Maybe. Depends on how late it’ll be. If I do, I’ll come back in the morning and we’ll have lunch together.”  
“I’m going to hold you to that.”  
“Deal,” Blaine grinned and slung his backpack over his shoulder. “Walk me to the door?”  
As answer, Kurt took his hand and laced their fingers. They stopped at Rachel’s room so Blaine could greet the girls, and proceeded to the front door in silence.  
“Hey, why don’t you come with me?” Blaine said right before he opened the door, excited as if it was the best idea he ever had. “David wouldn’t mind. He’d love it actually.”  
“Oh B,” Kurt sighed, tightening the grip on the hand he was holding. “That’s really sweet of you and I’d love to, but the girls. I’ve been pretty much ignoring them since I’ve been here. Almost all week actually. It would be rude to just leave, when I’m a guest myself. Besides, I missed out on some McKinley gossip, I could use a catch-up. I promise I’ll go with you next time.”  
“I’ll hold you to that,” Blaine grinned, mimicking Kurt’s earlier words.  
“Give David a hug for me?”  
Blaine nodded, then yelped in surprise when Kurt yanked him closer to give him a really long kiss on his cheek.  
“Do I need to give that to David too?” he chuckled jokingly.  
“Nope, that one was all for you.”  
Blaine blushed heavily, ducking his head to hide his rosy cheeks, as well as the flattered grin he couldn’t get of his face. Then, in a swift moment, he dived in and kissed Kurt on his temple. He leaned in further and spoke softly in his ear.  
“I’ll text you when I’m there and if I stay, I will text or call you before I go to bed.”  
“You better,” Kurt answered coyly.  
They hugged each other one more time, before Blaine walked out the door. On his way to his car, he kept turning around to wave or to blow a kiss. Every time, Kurt giggled and waved back, or blew a kiss in return, while he internally swooned over his best friend. 

He waited until Blaine was in his car and had driven away, before he closed the door. Sighing deeply, he slummed against the door and slowly sank until he was seated on the floor. Down there he buried his face in his hands.  
Parting from Blaine became harder every time, as he was always a bit more in love than before, and it was slowly but surely becoming unbearable to be around Blaine without being able to call him his. It had become his ultimate dream and he just needed it to become reality.  
He sat there for quite some while – at least that’s what it felt like – when he heard footsteps from somebody descending the stairs. He didn’t even bother to look who it was, but the person still knelt right next to him and scooped him in their arms.  
“Oh Kurtie,” Rachel sighed and kissed the top of his head. He didn’t respond to her. Instead he clutched her shirt in his hands and pressed his face against her shoulder in attempt to stop the tears he felt coming up. She let him hold her, but soon got up, pulled him on his feet and dragged him upstairs to her room.  
Mercedes and Tina were already seated on Rachel’s bed. Kurt wiggled himself between them, resting on Mercedes while Tina laid her head on his lap. Rachel went to sit cross-legged before them.  
“Kurt, you need to talk to him,” Mercedes said as she laid a hand around him.  
“This dance the two of you are doing is breaking you and Blaine,” Rachel added; the two other girls nodded along with her.  
“What dance?” Kurt scoffed. “We’re friends. Super close best friends. Yes, I’m in love with him, but there’s no dance.”  
This time the girls scoffed.  
“I’ve only seen the two of you together for a few hours and even I see the feelings the both of you have,” Tina quipped. Kurt purposely moved his legs so the teen on his lap dropped her head a bit and squeaked in surprise.  
“Don’t be mean,” she pouted and gave him a slap on his thigh. “I’m just stating what I saw. You guys are closer, more touchy-feely and clingier with each other than any of us are with our boyfriends, for Pete’s sake.”  
“You two actually act more like a couple than any of us do,” Rachel pointed out. “I wish Finn held me as much as my brother holds you, even if it’s remotely in the same intimate way. You two ooze romance when you’re together.”  
“We just like it,” Kurt shrugged as if it was nothing. “We never said it out loud, but we know each other well enough that this is a very mutual thing. We’re both cuddle whores and like to be affectionate. Neither of us have boyfriends, so why not do it with the person who comes the closest to being a boyfriend. It’s never awkward and it feels incredible to be on that intimacy level with someone. It’s a win-win situation for the both of us.”  
“It’s not a win-win situation when deep inside, it’s killing you and Blaine at the same time,” Mercedes objected. “You clearly want more; Blaine clearly wants more. But you are driving yourselves crazy over feelings you think are not being reciprocated. But they are. We see how you look at Blaine and how Blaine looks at you, especially when you’re not looking. That guy loves you.”  
Rachel and Tina smiled brightly and loudly agreed with Mercedes’ little speech. Kurt, however, didn’t seem very convinced. He ran a hand through his hair and then fidgeted with the ropes of his hoodie.  
“I really want to believe you, but-”  
“But what, Kurt?” Tina groaned frustrated.  
“You guys don’t get it!” Kurt snapped annoyed. “I had a crush on Finn and that door slapped in my face. I had a crush on Sam; that door slammed in my face. Now there’s Blaine and compared to what I feel for him, Finn and Sam were the silliest crushes one can imagine. I cannot have that door slam in my face. I need Blaine in my life, even if it’s just as a friend.”  
The girls fell quiet - everything seemed to have gone quiet. They all felt guilty for pushing Kurt, now that they knew how scared he was. Still, Rachel made a last attempt for the sake of the heart of not only her best friend, but also that of her twin.  
“At least think about making a move, Kurt. I honestly think it’ll be very rewarding. You don’t have to do when you see him again, but at least think about it. Okay?”  
“I will, but I’m not promising anything else.”

The three girls sighed relieved, settling for this agreement, and so did Kurt. Then he clapped his hands and spoke in a lighter and freer way.  
“Now that Blaine isn’t here to utter his distaste for the books and movies, can we please watch a Twilight movie with a lot of Taylor Lautner’s naked abs?”  
“Yes!” Tina and Rachel shouted happily as Mercedes raised her hand in praise. Rachel went to set up her laptop, while the other three went down to the kitchen to get some of their baked sweets. Back upstairs, they all found a comfortable position on Rachel’s bed to sit in. Not far into the movie, Kurt received a text. It was from Blaine, so he didn’t mind the disturbance.  
Made it to David’s. He’s bummed you didn’t come along but he says hi, and demands you come next time. Xoxoxxx B.  
It was directly followed by a second text.  
The o’s are from David. All the x’s are from me ;) B.  
Kurt cooed enamoured. He sent a quick reply with only ‘xxx K.’ in it, and ignored his phone further - he could feel Mercedes eyeing him suspiciously and he didn’t want his unusual friendship with Blaine to be subject of discussion again.  
Right before they went to bed, he had a short text-exchange with Blaine, which ended with them sending each other photos of themselves blowing a kiss to the other. That night, both boys fell sleep with the biggest smile on their faces.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to apologise to everyone who is following this story just on here for not keeping it up-to-date. It is as of now (feb 28th). If you like this story, I'd suggest you follow it on ff.net because there is where I post it first (http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7789451/1/Lovestruck) Or you can follow the tag on my Tumblr which I always update right after I post (link in my profile)


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